Calcium and Iron
Let’s start with looking at 2 key minerals found in most supplements.
Calcium
Calcium is a nutrient that can only be obtained from foods or supplements. They body does not have a process that produces calcium on its own. Calcium is important for development of the baby’s bones and teeth, as well as other vital functions in the body. Calcium is most important starting at the end of the 1st trimester, when the baby’s bones begin to strengthen.
Food Sources
Top food sources of calcium are dairy products, including cheese, milk, and yogurt.
Top vegan food sources of calcium are fortified non-dairy milk and juices, calcium set tofu, and green leafy vegetables (such as collard greens and kale).
Supplements
All values are based on daily serving size.
| Thorne | 180 mg |
| SmartyPants | 0 |
| Kirkland | 250 mg |
| VitaFusion | 0 |
| NatureMade | 150 mg |
| Metagenics | 400 mg |
| Klaire | 100 mg |
Needed for pregnancy – 1000 mg
Our Take: Metagenics Wellness Essentials has the most calcium/serving. If you are not consuming a lot of dairy products, a higher amount of calcium will be needed to make up for that difference. Looking at the gummy vitamins, they contain no calcium, so additional supplementation would be recommended if you take the gummy vitamins.
Iron
Iron is a nutrient needed to help the body make red blood cells. Iron in blood helps carry oxygen to the body’s tissues and organs. More iron is needed during pregnancy to help the body create more blood to supply oxygen to the baby. Anemia is an iron-deficiency and can be very dangerous to the mother and baby. Complications of anemia during pregnancy include preterm delivery and low-birth-weight.
Food Sources
Top food sources of iron are red meat, poultry, and fish.
Top vegan food sources of iron include raisins, kidney beans, soybeans, and lentils.
Supplements
All values are based on daily serving size.
| Thorne | 45 mg |
| SmartyPants | 0 |
| Kirkland | 27 mg |
| VitaFusion | 0 |
| NatureMade | 27 mg |
| Metagenics | 30 mg |
| Klaire | 27 mg |
Needed during pregnancy – 27 mg
Our Take: Needing only 27 mg of iron for pregnancy, the body will simply not absorb more if it is not needed. This can generally be seen as a change in stool color. 45mg of iron in Thorne’s prenatal may be a waste. Generally, any capsule prenatal will supply enough iron. However, gummy vitamins do not contain any iron, so additional supplementation would be needed with those.
The next post will discuss a very important vitamin, folate.
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Click here to read the first blog of the series: Why should I take a prenatal?
Click here to read the second blog: Prenatal Vitamins: Overview