Expectant mothers need to carefully monitor their bodies while they are expecting a baby. Your doctor, after prior consultation, will prescribe vitamin E in the proper dosage and form of administration. The substance plays a very important role both at the stage of conception and directly during pregnancy.
Vitamin E during pregnancy or its planning has a positive effect on the reproductive function of women. It helps to maintain the health of the mother and the baby. Additionally, there is a strengthening of the immune system and filling the body with useful micronutrients. How to take vitamin E during pregnancy is determined only by the attending physician after consultation and preliminary tests.
Function of vitamin E during pregnancy
Vitamin E acts as a very powerful antioxidant. Its main function is to protect intracellular structures. The intake of this substance is necessary for the reproductive system to perform all its functions. The importance of trace element E is as follows:
- Regulation of the secretion of sex hormones;
- Beneficial effect on the development of the placenta in the first trimester, as well as its proper attachment to the uterine wall;
- Reducing the risk of miscarriage.
Even taking into account the numerous useful functions, the reception of vitamin E in pregnancy should be carried out with caution, since there are certain contraindications.
Features of use in pregnancy
Due to vitamin E in pregnancy in early pregnancy, blood flow between the body of the expectant mother and her baby is provided. Tocopherol is involved in the synthesis of important hormones, which also includes prolactin. When prescribed the substance in the very first weeks, it will reduce the risk of miscarriage, and also keep the balance of hormones normal.
In the second trimester of pregnancy, micronutrient E in the form of capsules is prescribed only if there are all the necessary medical indications. During this period, it is worth remembering the importance of this substance and be sure to include in your diet products containing tocopherol.
The role of a micronutrient in preparation for conception
With competent planning of pregnancy, an individual dose of tocopherol is selected for each particular woman. As a rule, in preparation for conception, vitamin E is prescribed after menstruation. In preparation for conception, it is necessary to take a micronutrient before the end of the cycle.
Once pregnancy occurs, the attending physician will adjust the dosage of tocopherol. It is worth noting that taking vitamin E is also recommended for the partner. This substance has a positive effect on increasing the activity of sperm. Also, to the peculiarities of taking it, it is worth referring to the acceleration of sperm production. Therefore, in the period of preparation for conception, this trace element should necessarily be included in vitamin complexes.
Consequences of a lack of element during fetal conception
Lack of vitamin E during pregnancy always leads to undesirable consequences. So, a deficiency of this substance can cause such complications as poor mood, apathy, increased fatigue. Micronutrient deficiency often causes leg cramps, especially at night, and can also lead to thrombosis and anemia.
Deficiencies also affect the fetus. Newborns may have vision problems and respiratory system abnormalities. In severe cases, a stillborn baby may be born. The attending physician will determine the amount of vitamin E in the body based on the combination of symptoms and a number of laboratory tests. If it is found to be deficient, tocopherol capsules will be prescribed.
Natural sources
An excellent prevention of vitamin E deficiency in pregnancy will be to adjust the diet and add more healthy foods to it. The trace element is contained in products of both animal and plant origin. Natural sources of the vitamin include: cold-pressed vegetable oils, avocados, bran, nuts, seeds.
Tocopherol can also be found in germinated wheat grains, bran. Fruits and berries contain it: peaches, mangoes, sea buckthorn. During pregnancy, expectant mothers should add more dairy products, eggs, liver, spinach, broccoli to their diet.
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Tocopherol is a fat-soluble substance that requires an intake of fats in the body for proper absorption. If prescribed to take this micronutrient, first you need to adjust your diet by adding more natural sources of the vitamin.
Pharmacy preparations
As a rule of medical practice, synthetic pharmacy preparations of vitamin E are prescribed. This greatly increases the chances of getting enough of it into the body. Vitamin E during pregnancy is taken only by prescription. The amount of active substance in capsules may be different. It is allowed to take tocopherol as part of multivitamin complexes that contain other active substances.
Moreover, if you take vitamin E in pregnancy with other minerals, it is better absorbed. Ready-made capsules contain an average dosage needed to support the fetus and its development.
Among the pharmacy preparations available on the market, the following are in particular demand:
- Vitamin E 400-Zentiva. It plays a very important role if there are problems with conception and development. Available in capsules, it contains the maximum dose. It is convenient to use, as it has a pre-calculated rate;
- Alphabet. A product from a domestic manufacturer. The composition includes various minerals with a minimum concentration. Taking such a vitamin E in pregnancy is recommended in the second trimester;
- Elevit Pronatal. A special complex of micronutrients for pregnant women. Included: elements of groups E, A, D and folic acid;
- Combivit 11. The multivitamins contain known compounds: A, group B, C, E. It is recommended to take when planning pregnancy or after childbirth.
Each of these drugs has certain contraindications, so you should consult with your doctor before starting to take them. There are also many other prenatal vitamins you can take.
Contraindications
If in pregnancy, vitamin E is in deficit, because of this there is a constant feeling of weakness. The child may have problems with the development of vision. This trace element additionally acts as an antioxidant. Its overabundance can cause heart problems.
Overdose can lead to consequences such as congenital defects in mental and physical development of the child, nervous system disorders. The peculiarity of taking tocopherol is that its excess in the body is possible only in two cases: independently increasing the dosage and a longer period of intake, compared to that prescribed by the attending physician.
How to take
In order for the trace element to bring maximum benefit, it is necessary to know in what form it enters the body:
- In capsules, Their amount should be determined by the gynecologist. As a rule, these vitamins are taken in the first trimester with meals;
- In vitamin complexes. Suitable to be taken in the second and third trimester;
- In foods. This is the most optimal way of getting nutrients into the body of a pregnant woman. In this case, any contraindications are almost completely absent;
In order for the medication to be well absorbed, it is necessary to consume it together with fatty foods. Expectant mothers should monitor how they feel. A significant overdose can affect both the development of the baby, certain functions of his body, and the health of the mother in labor.
Until what period to take
The recommended dosage of vitamin E in pregnancy is 15 mg per day. If the woman in labor lives in an environmentally polluted area, the dosage should be increased by 1-2 mg.
Trace element E helps normalize the endocrine system. In the early term, it protects against abortion. How much to take vitamin E during pregnancy depends on the condition of the body in which the drug was prescribed. In hypovitaminosis, it is necessary to treat until the tocopherol is completely replenished in the body.
During pregnancy planning, it is allowed to take vitamin E in minimal doses for a period of one to three months. At the same time, a woman should take daily food products containing fat-soluble components.
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