Vitamins are essential for healthy nutrition. The following table shows daily vitamin requirements and the benefits each vitamin provides:
| Purpose and benefits | Average daily requirement for pregnant women |
Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Folic acid | ||
|
600 micrograms (assuming you will continue to consume 400 micrograms from supplements or fortified food) | Orange juice, deep-green leafy vegetables, liver, whole grains, and cereals (Unfortunately, vitamin content may be destroyed in cooking or storing these foods: that's why taking a prenatal multivitamin like CitraNatal® is so important.) |
| Calcium | ||
|
1,000 milligrams | Single, 300 mg servings include: 8 ounces skim or low-fat milk 1-1/2 cups low-fat cottage cheese 6-8 ounces low-fat plain yogurt 1-1/2 ounces American or Cheddar cheese 6 ounces calcium-added orange juice |
| Iron | ||
|
27 milligrams (nearly double the requirement for non-pregnant women) | Extra-lean meat, fish, poultry, cooked dried beans and peas, dried apricots, dark-green leafy vegetables, raisins, and whole grains |
| Vitamin D | ||
|
200 IU | Fortified milk and cereals, salmon, sardines, and egg yolks |
| Vitamin A | ||
|
770 micrograms (approximately 2,600 IU) | Carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, collards, apricots, mangoes, cantaloupe, peaches, and fortified milk |
| Vitamin E | ||
|
15 IU | Wheat germ, safflower oil, nuts, and spinach |
| Vitamins B1, B2, & B3 | ||
|
B1: 0.4 milligrams B2: 1.4 milligrams B3: .18 milligrams |
Whole grains, wheat germ, peanuts, green peas, dark-green leafy vegetables, lean pork, cooked dried beans and peas, extra-lean meats, and nonfat milk products |
| Vitamin B6 | ||
|
1.9 milligrams | Chicken, fish, extra-lean meat, avocado, potatoes, bananas, whole grains, wheat germ, nuts, seeds, and cooked dried beans and peas |
| Vitamin C | ||
|
85 milligrams | Single servings include: 1/4 cup cantaloupe 1/2 grapefruit 1/2 cup orange or grapefruit juice 1/2 medium mango 1/2 cup strawberries 2/3 cup cooked broccoli 1 small orange 1 cup tomato juice 1 cup raw spinach |
| Magnesium | ||
|
350 milligrams | Nonfat or low-fat milk, peanuts, bananas, wheat germ, whole grains, cooked dried beans and peas, and dark-green leafy vegetables |
| Copper | ||
|
1.0 milligrams (1,000 micrograms) | Chicken, fish, extra-lean meat, organ meats, whole grains, nuts and seeds, soybeans, and dark-green leafy vegetables |
| Zinc | ||
|
11 milligrams | Extra-lean meat, turkey, cooked dried beans and peas, wheat germ, and whole grains |
| Iodine | ||
|
220 micrograms | Seafoods such as fish, shrimp, and clams |
Important Safety Information
WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. KEEP THIS PRODUCT OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.
Warnings
Ingestion of more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day has been shown to have potential antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and INR. Administration of omega-3 fatty acids should be avoided in patients on anticoagulants and in those known to have an inherited or acquired bleeding diathesis.
Folic acid alone is improper therapy in the treatment of pernicious anemia and other megaloblastic anemias where vitamin B12 is deficient.
Precautions
Folic acid in doses above 0.1 mg daily may obscure pernicious anemia in that hematologic remission can occur while neurological manifestations progress.
This material is intended to provide basic information. Patients should discuss all medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment with their healthcare provider.
Please see full Prescribing Information
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