What are prenatal vitamins?
For a mother's health, and the health of her baby, she is advised to take so-called ‘prenatal vitamins’ during pregnancy. These are specially formulated multivitamins that make up for any nutritional deficiencies in the mother's diet. While the supplements contain numerous vitamins and minerals, their folic acid, iron, and calcium content are especially important.

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Canadian researchers report that taking antidepressants during pregnancy increases the risk of spontaneous abortions by about two-thirds, . The increased risk was greatest with the family of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), especially paroxetine and venlafaxine, and when more than one family of drugs were used.

Smoking during pregnancy may significantly increase the risk of behavioral problems in a mother’s child later in life. New research set to be published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health suggests that mothers who smoke while pregnant are essentially toying with the brain chemistry of their future children.

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A new study by two doctors at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth shows exercise during pregnancy can be healthy for mom and baby.

Capt. Marlene DeMaio, MD, and Capt. Everett Magann, MD, .

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“ say their study found exercise is beneficial to almost all pregnant women, regardless of age or whether they’d previously exercised.

Researchers published in the current issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
say that abnormal test results in those without gestational diabetes signals future heart risk,

Jennifer Bunn RN, tells us it is estimated that 1 in 10 women take antidepressants. The American Psychiatric Association (APA), along with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has issued a joint report to attempt to clarify the use of antidepressants during pregnancy.

The report makes clear that women who have made suicide attempts in the past or who are presently suicidal, those who have bipolar disorder and those who have had psychotic episodes should be left well enough alone, and should not stop their treatment with antidepressants during pregnancy.

It is important to factor in the alkaline/acidity level balance when trying to conceive. Proper pH balance in women is vital to overall health and not just for conception and pregnancy.

The American Institute for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C. provides valuable information about weight gain during pregnancy. They tell us that the far more common problem is gaining too much weight during pregnancy, which can lead to short- and long-term risks for both mother and baby.

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Dr. Gerald F. Joseph, MD tells us that an increasing number of women in the US have diabetes. Women with diabetes face some additional health risks during pregnancy such as having a very large baby, cesarean birth, or pregnancy-induced high blood pressure.

Brain and spinal cord of the fetus develop from the neural tube that is formed during the first month of pregnancy. Now, a recent study suggests that vitamin B12 deficiency just before and after conception may be associated with up to 5 times the risk of having babies with neural tube defects (NTD).

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