Prenatal with DHA

Indications

Prenatal with DHAhas the following benefits:

• Designed to help women meet high nutritional demands before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and while nursing.
• Offers DHA & choline, two vital nutrients for fetal brain, nervous system, and eye health

Pregnancy Nutritional Statistics & Recommendations

Many women of childbearing age in the U.S. do not maintain good nutritional status before, during, and after pregnancy.¹ High prevalence of inadequate intake of vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, fiber, and calcium has been found in both pregnant and lactating women, and moderately inadequate intakes of vitamins A, C, B6, and folate were also noted.²

Women need to attain good nutritional status before, during, and after pregnancy to optimize maternal health and reduce the risk of pregnancy complications, birth defects, and chronic disease in their children in later adulthood.¹ The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that pregnant women consume 600 mcg/day of synthetic folic acid from fortified foods or supplements in addition to the folate they already consume in their normal diet.³ Folic acid is critical for development and preventing birth defects, specifically spina bifida. Iron intake is also critical during pregnancy. Maternal iron deficiency anemia increases the risk of low birth weight and possibly preterm delivery and perinatal mortality, and may impair maternal-infant interactions. Supplementation with 27 mg of iron per day is recommended during pregnancy.³

DHA

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fat that is an indispensable component of all cell membranes, and is incorporated at high concentrations in the membrane phospholipids of the brain and retina.⁴ DHA is therefore involved in visual and neural function and neurotransmitter metabolism. During the last trimester, the fetus accrues about 50 to 70 mg of DHA a day.⁵ Both a mother’s DHA intake and circulating blood DHA concentrations are important determinants of fetal blood concentrations of DHA.Babies accrue DHA into their central nervous system up until about 18 months of age.⁵ The typical Western diet, however, is generally deficient in omega-3s, and particularly DHA. During pregnancy, the dietary goal for omega-3 fatty acids is 650 mg, of which 300 mg should be DHA.⁵

Choline

Both pregnancy and lactation increase the demand for choline dramatically. Much of this demand may be met by increased production in the body; however, the demand for choline is still so high that bodily stores are generally depleted.⁶ Choline is largely required during pregnancy as a substrate for building cellular membranes (rapid fetal and mother tissue expansion), increased needs pertaining to DNA function, and for increased production of lipoproteins (proteins containing "fat" portions).⁷ The Institute of Medicine’s adequate intake levels for choline during pregnancy and lactation are 450 mg and 550 mg per day, respectively.

Our Product

Our Prenatal with DHA provides 100% of the Daily Value for 15 vitamins and minerals. Plus it offers DHA and choline - two critical but sometimes overlooked nutrients that are essential for optimal fetal/infant development during pregnancy & lactation.

Dosage

Take 3 tablets per day.

Specifications

Product Name:       Prenatal with DHA

Label Claim:           Nutritional Support Before, During, and After Pregnancy

How Supplied:        Vegetarian tablet

Drop Count:              90 ct

Product Code:          VL573

References

1. Position Paper of the American Dietetic Association: Nutrition and lifestyle for a healthy pregnancy outcome. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008:108:553-561.

2. US Department of Agriculture. What we eat in America, NHANES 2001-2002: Usual nutrient intakes from food compared to Dietary Reference Intakes.
3. US Department of Health and Human Services, US Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans January 2005. Department of Health and Human Services.
4. Effects of fish-oil and folate supplementation of pregnant women on maternal and fetal plasma concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid: a European randomized multicenter trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;85:1392– 400.
5. Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation During Pregnancy.Rev Obstet Gynecol. 2008;1(4):162-169.

6. Zeisel, SH. Choline: critical role during fetal development and dietary requirements in adults. Annu. Rev. Nutr. 2006. 26:229-50.

7.King JC. Physiology of pregnancy and nutrient metabolism. AM J Clin Nutr. 2000;71(suppl):1218S-1225S.