Deficiencies during Pregnancy

One of the most prime and important phases in a woman's life is when she conceives a baby. It is the time when she has to be taken care of and pampered. Be it her daily routine or her diet, everything must be on point. But this phase that feels so worth it also comes with its own set of challenges and the biggest one to deal with are deficiencies. There might be times when you feel like you are giving them the best of the diet but some nutrients might be missed out on and lead to a deficiency. However, these can be tackled with supplements and increasing the amount of the diet. But let us have a closer look at all these deficiencies that a woman might face during her prenatal period.

The most common deficiencies during pregnancy:

All these deficiencies occur due to the excess physical and mental pressure a woman faces during pregnancy. A few of those are listed below:

1. Iron: one of the most common deficiencies during pregnancy is iron deficiency. Iron is the prime component of hemoglobin in the blood and as the volume of blood increases in the body, the need for iron also increases. A mom and her child both might get prone to anemia which is caused by to lack of iron and may cause fatal issues later.
2. Vitamin D: vitamin D is necessary for the bone and muscle development of the fetus. Deficiency of this nutrient might be responsible for weak bones and joints.
3. Calcium: calcium is an important element for the development of bones and teeth of the baby. Lack of calcium can lead to improper functioning of the nervous system and blood circulation.
4. Iodine: a good amount of iodine is responsible for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland which is ultimately responsible for better metabolism of both the mom and the baby. 
5. Fatty acids: omega 3 fatty acids are known to develop the brain of the fetus and improve the mental health as well. Lack of this nutrient may also hamper the postpartum mental health of the mom. 

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How to deal with it?

Pregnancy deficiency can be easily cured by focusing more on the diet. One must make sure that they eat foods that are rich in vitamin C, folic acid, iron, and, vitamin B12. These mostly include foods such as green leafy vegetables, seeds, nuts and citrus vegetables. Dairy products such as paneer, cheese, cream, etc are great for meeting calcium requirements. 

Nutritional deficiency is harmful to both the mom and child in the same amount. To make sure that your loved ones don't suffer as much, you need to focus on their diet requirements.