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Calcium intake during pregnancy. Take calcium during pregnancy. We make up for the lack of calcium during pregnancy by proper nutrition during pregnancy and during breastfeeding. The best calcium for pregnant women. Osteomed - maximum benefit, minimum

During pregnancy, a woman's body works with a vengeance, as it actively builds the cells of the baby's body. No less actively it consumes vitamins and minerals necessary for the formation and growth of the skeleton, tissues and organs. One of the most important minerals that are actively consumed during pregnancy is calcium. This substance is necessary for the full formation and growth of the skeleton, muscle development, the formation of neuromuscular conduction, blood clotting and the functioning of the kidneys and heart. The need for calcium during pregnancy increases several times compared to the normal state.

Calcium levels during pregnancy

The level of calcium intake during pregnancy increases significantly, on average, a pregnant woman needs from 1000 to 1500 mg of calcium per day. Consumption rates are increasing from month to month. In the first trimester, the fetus spends 2-3 mg per day on growth and development, in the second trimester 100-200 mg, and in the third, especially in the last month, 250-300 mg of calcium can be consumed. Equally important is the presence of calcium for the woman herself - the strength of the skeleton, the integrity of the teeth and nails with hair depend on this. During pregnancy, there is an increase in calcium absorption from the intestines, but a lot of it is also lost in the urine. Therefore, it is important to monitor its sufficient daily intake.
Often, the entire amount of calcium needed by a pregnant woman cannot be covered by nutrition, therefore, either enhanced calcium nutrition is used, or additional calcium supplements are taken with or without vitamin D.

Signs of calcium deficiency, indications for taking calcium

There are a number of specific symptoms that will indicate a calcium deficiency during pregnancy. This is first of all:
- cramps of the calf muscles, recurring from day to day, especially during sleep and at rest,
- a feeling of crawling in the fingers or toes, bringing the fingers together,
- fragility of nails, their delamination, cracking,
- dry and brittle hair, thinning hair,
- dryness and flaking of the skin even when using moisturizers,
- tooth decay, caries, rapidly progressing during pregnancy,
- pain in the bones, joints, fatigue,
- frequent bruising on the skin.

Predisposed to calcium deficiency are natural blondes, women who smoked before and during pregnancy, those who consume a lot of starchy foods and sweets, drink a lot of coffee or cocoa, carbonated drinks. Calcium is absorbed worse with a sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition, passion for diets, with preeclampsia and somatic diseases, during pregnancy with weather, multiple pregnancies.

With calcium deficiency, there may be a delay in fetal development of the fetus, a violation of the ossification of its bones, which is noticeable on ultrasound. If at least some of the described symptoms appear, or if there is a high risk of calcium deficiency, the use of calcium supplements and the use of calcium-containing foods is necessary.

Taking calcium supplements

There are a lot of calcium preparations in pharmacies, but not all of them are equally well absorbed by the body of a pregnant woman. Calcium gluconate tablets contain the least useful calcium, but they are the most inexpensive of all. More useful and easily digestible are calcium lactate and calcium carbonate. All calcium preparations are divided into monopreparations, only with calcium salts (latktate, gluconate or calcium carbonate in tablets), combined preparations are usually calcium preparations with vitamin D, which enhances calcium absorption. Sometimes vitamin C, trace elements boron, magnesium or zinc are also added to these preparations. The third group of drugs include multivitamin preparations, which include any and calcium salts.

Today, Calcium-D3-Nikomed is considered the most widely used drug among all calcium-containing drugs; This preparation contains calcium carbonate at a dosage of 1250 mg, in terms of pure calcium it is 500 mg, and also contains 200 IU of vitamin D. The drug belongs to the group of combined drugs, and this drug has shown its high effectiveness in preventing calcium deficiency and with treatment of disorders in phosphorus-calcium metabolism. The intake of this drug, in combination with good nutrition, covers the daily norm of calcium, does not allow calcium to be lost from the bones, and during pregnancy helps to actively eliminate the symptoms of calcium metabolism disorders. For prophylactic purposes, the drug is prescribed once a day for a tablet; for therapeutic purposes, two tablets a day are already used. The drug has practically no side effects.

In general, the combination of calcium with vitamin D has a beneficial effect on the pregnant woman and the fetus when taking drugs in the last trimester. Due to this combination, calcium is actively absorbed by the mother and fetus, which also contributes to the prevention of early rickets in children after birth. Multivitamin preparations with minerals will also be effective, they contain at least 200 mg of calcium. These are preparations "Elevit", "Vitrum prenatal" with calcium, "Materna" and others. They do not have a therapeutic effect, but for the purpose of prevention they can be used in all pregnant women, in the absence of proper contraindications.

What else is needed?

Undoubtedly, the main source of calcium for any woman, especially a pregnant woman, is food. However, not all food products are rich in calcium, and in addition, substances such as zinc and magnesium, copper and manganese, partially boron and some vitamins affect the absorption and assimilation of calcium. The main sources of calcium in the diet of pregnant women are natural healthy foods - milk and any dairy products, including cheese, butter, nuts, vegetables. However, in the pursuit of calcium, we must not forget about the variety of products - one cottage cheese and nuts, not the most suitable food for pregnant women. There is a lot of calcium in broccoli and in general in any cabbage, in greens and green vegetables. However, in those vegetables where there is a lot of oxalic acid, calcium is poorly absorbed - beets, spinach and sorrel make it difficult to absorb calcium.

If there is no need for increased calcium intake, there is no chronic pathology of the digestive tract and the problems that we talked about earlier, you can increase calcium nutrition. This will be enough for your growing needs and well-being. You can add to your daily diet about 200 g of cottage cheese, a glass of kefir and a glass of milk (you can cook porridge on it), and 50 g of cheese per sandwich. This is quite enough for the daily rate. And if you add nuts, fish, salads or cabbage dishes, berries and raisins here, the diet will turn out to be quite saturated with calcium almost in its daily norm. If you use up to three or four dairy products a day, you can bring the amount of daily calcium received to 1000-1500 mg.

In addition, it is worth remembering that calcium “loves” fresh air and sunlight, with regular walks with active movements and exposure to sunlight, calcium is absorbed much more fully and more actively. Firstly, under the action of sunlight, an additional portion of vitamin D is produced in the skin, which is necessary for the absorption of calcium, and secondly, calcium is more actively absorbed by actively working muscles of the body and bones of the skeleton that receive loads. The duration of walks should not be less than 45 minutes a day. If you walk very little, do not get the necessary physical activity, drink a lot of tea or coffee, do not tolerate dairy products, or even smoke during pregnancy, if your pregnancy mostly takes place in the autumn-winter period, you should take additional calcium supplements.

Suction problems

Although you can eat a lot of foods that contain calcium, not enough calcium can be absorbed from the intestines, which can lead to calcium deficiency in the body. Some foods can significantly slow down the absorption of calcium from food. These products include cereals, currants and sorrel, spinach and gooseberries. These products contain phytins and oxalic acid, which bind calcium into insoluble compounds. Caffeine and products containing it - coffee, tea, Coca-Cola also create a problem with calcium absorption, so they should be drunk very limitedly during pregnancy, and Coca-Cola should not be drunk at all.

There are a number of diseases that lead to impaired absorption of calcium - these are problems of the digestive tract with peptic ulcer, colitis, enteritis, as well as inflammation of the liver. There are also problems with calcium metabolism in diabetes mellitus, thyroid and parathyroid diseases, and bronchial asthma, especially if glucocorticoid drugs are required. In such cases, taking calcium supplements should be discussed with your doctor, and he will prescribe you additional drugs.

It is undeniable that a woman carrying a child needs to receive a large amount of minerals and vitamins. The role of calcium in the correct and full development of the crumbs is difficult to overestimate. Calcium is perhaps the most important macronutrient in this crucial period of a woman's life, which both the baby and the mother herself need.

How does calcium deficiency manifest itself?

Signs by which the expectant mother may suspect calcium deficiency in the body:

  • Damage to teeth, sensitivity of tooth enamel.
  • General weakness, fatigue.
  • Increased work of sweat and sebaceous glands of the scalp.
  • Dry skin, brittle, exfoliating nails.
  • Irritability, emotional lability, nervousness, sleep disturbances.
  • Feeling of crawling "goosebumps", numbness of the fingers, upper and lower extremities, cramps of the calf muscles (mainly at night).
  • Pain and aches in the bones (more often in large ones - the bones of the pelvis).
  • With a prolonged and severe lack of calcium (frequent pregnancies and long periods of lactation), signs of osteoporosis may be observed - a tendency to crack or fracture, bone fragility.
  • Violation of the heart rhythm (cardiac conduction).
  • Deterioration of blood clotting, manifested, for example, by increased bleeding of the gums.
  • Sensitivity to cold (aches in the bones and muscles, chills).
  • Frequent catarrhal infections, as immunity decreases (the sign is nonspecific).

What is the role of calcium?

The biological role of calcium in the human body is great. It strengthens the bones of the expectant mother, the load on which will increase throughout pregnancy. Calcium has a positive effect on the state of the nervous system of a woman. Regulates neuromuscular transmission, thereby preventing hypertonicity of the muscles of the uterus and cramps of the muscles of the lower extremities.

Calcium ions regulate blood clotting. Therefore, the optimal level of calcium in the blood helps to avoid massive bleeding during childbirth and the early postpartum period. In addition, calcium is involved in the carbohydrate and fat metabolism of the expectant mother. It helps to reduce "bad" cholesterol and maintain normal glucose levels.

Calcium is a mandatory, indispensable building material for the entire fetal skeleton. Hypocalcemia (decrease in the level of calcium in the blood) in the expectant mother increases the risk of rickets in the baby after birth. This mineral is involved in the laying and development of nerve cells, skin, visual analyzer of the fetus. Sufficient calcium content contributes to the normal development of the intelligence of the crumbs.

daily requirement for calcium

During the period of bearing a baby and subsequent natural feeding, the daily need for calcium in a woman increases to 1200-1800 mg per day. Nature has provided for the maximum absorption of calcium through the gastrointestinal tract during these critical periods for a woman. In other words, during pregnancy and lactation, the mother's body can bind and absorb much more calcium from outside than before pregnancy.

Therefore, so often doctors recommend women who are expecting a baby, an additional intake of calcium supplements. At the same time, the child in the first months of pregnancy takes no more than 10 mg of calcium for his needs. From the 12th week of gestation, the fetal need for calcium increases. He already needs more than 300 mg of calcium daily. Therefore, most often, calcium is prescribed to the expectant mother from the second trimester of pregnancy.

Despite this, doctors often state the fact that the expectant mother cannot satisfy her calcium needs only with the help of food. Perhaps this is due to the environmental situation or to the culture of human nutrition that has changed today (“the main thing is fast” - fast food, a variety of semi-finished products, surrogates instead of natural products).

Calcium "in reserve" ...

It is important to say that an excess of calcium during pregnancy is as dangerous as a deficiency. Especially in the third trimester of pregnancy. An excess of this mineral can lead to premature closure of the large fontanel and growth zones of the baby's skull bones. Also, an excess of calcium contributes to the compaction of the bones of the baby's head. And this is a problem during childbirth, the child cannot normally pass through the birth canal.

The baby's head loses its ability to configure well during passage through the mother's birth canal. In turn, this increases the risk of trauma to the baby during childbirth and rupture of the birth canal in the mother during the period of expulsion of the fetus.

During pregnancy, excess calcium can be deposited as calcifications in the placenta. And this disrupts her full-fledged work in supplying nutrients to the baby. Also, the urinary system of the expectant mother suffers from an excess of calcium. During pregnancy, the kidneys simply may not be able to cope with such a “calcium load”. As a result, the risk of sand or stones in the kidneys of a pregnant woman increases.

Diagnosis of hypocalcemia

A biochemical blood test will help determine the true lack of calcium during pregnancy in the mother's body. Considering that this analysis is done to a pregnant woman repeatedly during pregnancy, the diagnosis of calcium deficiency does not have any difficulties.

If the gynecologist observing you does not prescribe you calcium supplements, then there may be good reasons for this, namely, normal levels of calcium in the blood. Do not hesitate to ask your doctor about the need for additional intake of calcium supplements just for you.

NB! The normal content of calcium in the blood during pregnancy is 2.15-2.5 mmol / l.

How to eat with calcium deficiency?

Below is a list of foods containing calcium. By looking at this table, you can find out which foods contain calcium in such quantities to balance the diet of the expectant mother.

Traditionally, it is believed that dairy products contain the most calcium. But foods such as sea fish and seafood, eggs, nuts and greens are also good alternatives to them. By looking at the table above, you can easily calculate how many products you need to meet the daily requirement for calcium for a future mother.

It turns out that a couple of cheese sandwiches and 150 g of cottage cheese, a glass of milk or kefir are quite capable of providing a woman with a daily need for calcium.

For people who are lactose intolerant and cannot consume dairy products, there is also an alternative. It is enough to introduce sesame seeds and sesame oil into your diet. They are a kind of champions in calcium content.

Also, green beans, beans, green peas, poppy seeds (seed), celery, parsley, cabbage (white cabbage, broccoli), leaf lettuce, nuts (almonds, hazelnuts) are not inferior to some dairy products in terms of calcium content.

What hinders and helps the absorption of calcium from foods?

Vitamin D contributes to the proper absorption of calcium. It is this vitamin that is a companion of calcium in the construction of bone tissue. Without it, calcium entering the body will go out in transit, without lingering.

Therefore, foods rich in vitamin D (eggs, fish, fish oil) should be present in the diet of the expectant mother. Also, along with dieting, it is important not to forget about walking in the fresh air, where under the rays of the sun the body forms this vitamin on its own.

The following foods interfere with the absorption of calcium:

  • sweet sodas;
  • caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea, cocoa);
  • flour products (buns, pastries, pasta, bran, etc.);
  • products with high fat content (calcium is better absorbed from 1.5% milk than from 3.2% fat content);
  • cereals containing phytin (oatmeal, semolina);
  • foods rich in oxalic acid (sorrel, rhubarb, spinach, beets);
  • nicotine and alcohol.

Also, some medicines interfere with the absorption of calcium: antibiotics of the tetracycline series, diuretics, laxatives and anticonvulsants.

There are three groups of calcium preparations:

Monopreparations containing only calcium salts.

There are the following calcium salts: calcium carbonate (40% of the calcium element, that is, 400 mg of calcium per 1000 mg of the substance), calcium citrate (21% of the calcium element), calcium gluconate (9%), calcium lactate (13%).

Thus, it becomes clear why calcium preparations containing calcium carbonate and calcium citrate are more common.

But when choosing calcium preparations, one should also pay attention to its ability to be absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. It has been scientifically proven that calcium citrate is better absorbed than carbonate.

When taking calcium citrate, there is a higher and faster peak in the rise in blood calcium levels. Another benefit of citrates is important for people prone to urolithiasis. When taking drugs based on calcium citrate, the excretion of calcium in the urine is minimal. They help alkalinize urine, thereby reducing the risk of kidney stones.

Calcium carbonate in large doses reduces the acidity of gastric juice. Thus, it causes such negative phenomena as bloating, constipation. Preparations based on calcium carbonate are recommended to be washed down with sour drinks for better absorption (citrus juices).

Preparations containing a combination of calcium salts and vitamins (D or C)

Or a combination of calcium salts and other trace elements (magnesium, zinc, selenium, boron, manganese, phosphorus).

Multivitamin complexes

The composition includes calcium salts (Multi-Tabs, Alphabet, Elevit).

As a rule, calcium preparations are well tolerated. But sometimes they cause gastrointestinal side effects (abdominal pain, nausea, constipation). It is important to remember that at one time the body is able to absorb up to 500 mg of calcium.

When taking calcium supplements, a negative dose-dependent effect is observed. This means that at low doses, calcium is absorbed better than at high doses. Therefore, the prescribed dose of the drug should be divided into several doses during the day.

The expectant mother should take into account all sources of calcium and vitamin D 3 (for example, in the form of a multivitamin complex). It is not recommended for a woman in position to take more than 1500 mg of calcium and 600 IU of vitamin D 3 per day. Otherwise, the manifestation of their toxic effect on the baby is possible.

Summing up, I would like to say that you should not prescribe calcium supplements yourself. The main adviser during pregnancy can only be a doctor who observes a pregnant woman and knows her history and comorbidities. It is important to remember that an excess of calcium is just as dangerous as a deficiency. Therefore, prolonged and uncontrolled intake of these medications can adversely affect the health of both mother and baby.

Health to you and your children!

The balance of vitamins and microelements in the body of the expectant mother is the key to her well-being and the health of the baby. The lack of any mineral leads to undesirable and sometimes dangerous consequences. This is especially true of calcium (Ca) - a building material for bones, teeth, enzymes and hormones.

To prevent insufficient intake of this microelement and its poor absorption by the body, expectant mothers are often prescribed calcium preparations. In what cases are they indicated, will they harm the fetus? Should I take them, or is it better to replace them with foods rich in calcium?

Why do pregnant women need calcium, what is the danger of its deficiency?

In the body of the expectant mother, calcium for pregnant women does double work. It protects the fetus from rickets, and the mother from bone fragility and stress, along with neutralizing the effects of poor ecology.

If it enters the female body in insufficient quantities, the fetus takes it from the mother's musculoskeletal system. This leads to osteoporosis, a decrease in bone density.

Why does the fetus need calcium? For the formation of bone and nervous systems, the development of sensory organs, muscle fibers. Thanks to calcium, the baby's fingernails grow, the bloodstream develops, and the heart and kidneys prepare for full-fledged work.

Ca helps expectant mothers to remain calm in stressful situations, reduces the risk of premature delivery and bleeding during childbirth. Calcium regulates the work of muscle fibers, including the heart, uterus, which is important during contractions. The trace element is responsible for blood clotting, normal kidney function, plays a big role in the first weeks after conception. Its sufficient amount reduces the likelihood of allergic manifestations from the skin and respiratory system.

Lack of calcium is observed in every second woman who is preparing for motherhood. This condition is especially dangerous from the 12th week, when the fetus begins to actively grow and develop. Every day the child needs more and more calcium, which affects the mineral metabolism in the body of the expectant mother.

With calcium starvation, the general condition of the pregnant woman worsens: there is weakness, increased heart rate, and blood counts change. The fetus also suffers: there may be delays in its physical and mental development.

The daily intake of calcium for pregnant women, symptoms of its lack in the body

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What is the daily intake of calcium in the female body? From 19 to 50 years old, he needs 1000 mg of Ca per day. From the moment of conception, the daily dose increases by 50% and is 1500 mg. About 300 mg of the mineral passes through the placental barrier daily. A nursing mother needs at least 2000 mg.

Loss of Ca during pregnancy is possible with frequent urination, violations of mineral metabolism. Calcium starvation is more common in white-skinned and light-eyed women, expectant mothers who smoke, and those who are limited in movement. Hypocalcemia is accompanied by the following symptoms:

  • fragility of nails;
  • cramps in the muscles of the calves of the legs at night (more in the article:);
  • dryness, peeling of the skin;
  • a change in eating habits (for example, the desire to eat chalk);
  • sensation of "goosebumps" on the body;
  • lack of shine, elasticity of hair;
  • fragility of the bones.

If you do not take action and do not raise the level of calcium, a pregnant woman may experience:

  • hair loss;
  • preeclampsia;
  • severe manifestations of toxicosis;
  • caries, rapid destruction of teeth;
  • tachycardia;
  • premature birth;
  • weak labor activity.

Correcting the balance of trace elements in the body is very important. This will help the doctor, who will prescribe a special diet and medications.

Diagnostic studies

The lack of calcium, or hypocalcemia, is confirmed by blood biochemistry. This analysis is often done in pregnant women, so the diagnosis of Ca deficiency is not difficult.

If, according to the results of the tests, the doctor did not focus on the lack of a trace element and did not prescribe maintenance therapy, then the blood counts are normal.

However, if the expectant mother notices symptoms of calcium deficiency in herself, she should tell the doctor about it and ask for advice on how to deal with such a situation. The doctor can prescribe vitamin and mineral complexes for pregnant women, calcium supplements, and develop a healthy and nutritious menu.

Foods rich in calcium indicated during pregnancy

The level of calcium largely depends on how varied and balanced the diet of the expectant mother is. There are foods that interfere with the absorption of Ca and even accelerate its loss from the body. These are flour products (white bread, pasta, muffins), bran, semolina, coffee, spinach, sweet carbonated drinks. Many of them should be excluded from the diet and because of the high calorie content.

Products containing it will help the expectant mother to fill the calcium deficiency:

  • dairy and dairy products;
  • chicken eggs;
  • parsley, celery, red beans (vegetable calcium);
  • seafood and fish (cod, salmon);
  • white cabbage, broccoli;
  • almond;
  • Sesame oil;
  • figs.

It is important for women from the first days of pregnancy to drink a glass of milk, yogurt or yogurt every day, eat a sandwich with cheese and 150 g of cottage cheese. Instead of white bread, it is better to choose grain, and for snacks, carry nuts with you. In this case, you can normalize the imbalance of calcium in the body, which will help in childbirth.

Vitamins and other drugs prescribed for calcium deficiency in pregnant women

Along with the right diet, the use of a natural calcium preparation is recommended for preventive purposes. The choice of the type of remedy and the duration of its use is carried out individually with the help of a doctor.

  • Monopreparations with calcium salts. It is calcium gluconate or calcium citrate, Calcium Sandoz. Forte. It has been proven that citrate is absorbed better than calcium carbonate. After its use, there is a rapid increase in the content of calcium in the blood. Carbonate lowers the acidity of the stomach, which is fraught with colic and constipation.
  • Multivitamins. These are Elevit, Vitrum Prenatal and other complexes. At one time, the body absorbs no more than 500 ml of a trace element, so the daily dose is usually divided into several doses.
  • Combined products (with vitamin D and mineral complex). These are Calcium D3 tablets Nycomed, Calcemin, Vitrum-Calcium-D3 (we recommend reading:).

When prescribing a complex or drug with calcium, the doctor takes into account the daily diet of the expectant mother and all the medicines that she uses. The dosage is selected taking into account the fact that a pregnant woman should not take more than 600 IU of vitamin D3 and 1500 ml of Ca during the day. An increased dose will not benefit the mother and will be toxic to the baby.

How to take calcium supplements correctly, how much should I drink?

Before using calcium preparations, it is important to read the instructions and the dosage regimen prescribed by the doctor. As a rule, they are prescribed from 20-28 to 35 weeks of pregnancy. With a lack of minerals in the female body, the doctor may decide to prescribe calcium at an earlier date. The use of the drug in the last month of the third trimester can lead to premature ossification of the fetal head, which will create difficulties during childbirth and provoke ruptures of the birth canal.

How long should a pregnant woman take calcium supplements? If there are no other doctor's recommendations, they are drunk for a month. Tablets are taken with meals, washed down with half a glass of water or milk. Multiplicity of application - 2-3 times a day, depending on what is said in the instructions for use.

During the use of funds, it is taken into account that not all microelements can effectively interact with each other. It is desirable that the use of calcium goes in parallel with the intake of vitamin D3, for which special complexes have been developed. Vitamins C and B12 also contribute to better absorption of calcium.

Calcium and iron have poor compatibility - they prevent each other from being properly absorbed. Between the use of drugs should pass 2 hours, refuse to take even one of them is not necessary. Laxatives and diuretics should also be taken with caution (see also:). If the expectant mother takes antibiotics, you need to warn the doctor about this. For example, calcium weakens the effect of tetracyclines. Any combination of calcium supplements with other medications (especially laxatives and diuretics) should also be discussed with your doctor.

Contraindications and possible adverse reactions in pregnant women, overdose

Each of the calcium preparations has its own restrictions on admission. Contraindications:

  • intolerance to components;
  • stones and sand in the kidneys;
  • excess Ca and vitamin D3 in the body;
  • phenylketonuria;
  • risk of abortion;
  • diseases of the digestive tract;
  • excessive secretion of the parathyroid glands.

Among the adverse reactions to drugs, pruritus, indigestion, dizziness, and convulsions are most often noted. In this case, the reception is canceled, a diet or substitute drugs are selected.

In case of an overdose, hypercalcemia develops - a condition dangerous for mother and baby. It accelerates the aging of the placenta, is accompanied by migraines, palpitations in a woman, increased urination (we recommend reading:). The fetus at the same time develops incorrectly, which is fraught with the occurrence of mental and physical abnormalities. In order to avoid the negative impact of an overdose on the health of a pregnant woman, activated charcoal and gastric lavage are indicated.

Surely there is not a single pregnant woman who would not be told that she, in her position, simply needs as much calcium as possible! And for this purpose, they recommend that she drink half a liter of milk a day, eat sour cream, cottage cheese, cheese “from the belly” - and all this every day and in large quantities, as if other products simply do not exist. The well-known worldly wisdom says: “Respect the measure in everything” - but can a pregnant woman who is literally fattened all day long with calcium-containing foods remember her? And it is desirable to remember. Because calcium, of course, is very necessary for the body of a pregnant woman (and the human body in general) - but in moderation. Why is it needed, what is an excess of calcium fraught with, how much does a pregnant woman need and where can she get it from?

Why does a pregnant woman need calcium?

Calcium is involved in the formation of the human skeletal system. Its amount affects the condition of the bones of the skeleton, teeth, nails - and if the expectant mother consumes calcium in insufficient quantities - this can lead to problems with her and the child's teeth, to the fragility of the baby's bones, to problems with the mother's nails - they can begin to exfoliate , crumble and break. In addition, calcium is vital for the developing fetus, as it is also involved in the formation of various tissues and organs of the child: muscles, heart, nerve cells, normal blood clotting.

Also, the presence of the proper level of calcium in the body is an excellent prevention of miscarriages, premature and rapid births, and also contributes to less blood loss during childbirth.


How to find out that there is not enough calcium in the body of a pregnant woman? You can use the medical method and carry out densitometry, a procedure that determines bone mineral density. In addition, during pregnancy, you can do an ultrasound of the bones, which is absolutely safe for the mother and her unborn child.
If you do not want to run to the doctor right now, or you do not have time for this yet, you can determine for yourself whether you are getting enough calcium. Women at risk are those who:

- thin;

- have a poor appetite (and, as a result, a bad mood and insomnia);

- often get sick, and the disease is accompanied by a high temperature.

Also, listen to your body. If your bones, joints and muscles often hurt, this can also indicate a lack of calcium in your body. And if you also suffer from caries, your hair falls out and your nails exfoliate - this is a sure sign that something is wrong in the body, and you need to pay attention to the amount of calcium in your diet.

What is fraught with an excess of calcium in pregnant women?

It is worth remembering which product is most often offered as a panacea for calcium deficiency. This is cow's milk. But it must be remembered that cow's milk contains an excess of calcium - and in quantities of half a liter a liter per day (plus other dairy products), neither the expectant mother, nor just an ordinary person needs it. Because cow's milk is intended for calves who are born with a weight of 30-50 kg and quickly get on their feet. A person is born with a different weight, and develops differently - therefore, excess calcium will simply settle on his bones, contribute to the almost complete absence of a “fontanelle” and ... oddly enough, complicate childbirth. Settling on the bones of the child, calcium contributes to their improper folding - while they should be folded gently and gradually. It is for this reason that during childbirth there is poor cervical dilatation - a child whose bones are supersaturated with calcium, very clumsy and powerful - therefore, cannot properly fold and press his head against the cervix to help open it. It is in these cases that the child is either squeezed out, which can injure him, or a caesarean section is used. Based on this, an excess of calcium in the body of a pregnant woman is almost worse than a lack!

How much calcium is needed during pregnancy?

By the end of pregnancy, the baby should accumulate 25-30 g of calcium in his body. If the expectant mother adheres to a diet: a liter of milk + 200 g of sour cream + 200 g of cottage cheese + 150 g of cheese daily, then it contributes to the fact that about 300 g of excess calcium is deposited on the bones of the child, which will then complicate childbirth and will not bring any benefit.

In addition, you need to remember that the body of a baby in the womb also produces hormones that contribute to the accumulation of calcium on its own. It contributes to the portioned accumulation of calcium, but simply cannot cope with the frantic flow of dairy products.

How much calcium do you need? It is known that a person weighing 70 kg has about 1 kg of calcium in his bones. A healthy adult requires about 1 g of calcium per day, given that it is excreted from the body daily, for example, in the urine.
During pregnancy, a woman should consume about 1.5 g of calcium per day, a fifth of which goes to the development of the baby. As a result, 300 mg of calcium should be supplied per day to the baby through the placenta, so that in the future he does not develop rickets.

Sources of calcium

The most important thing to remember is that calcium is well absorbed only in combination with vitamin D3. if you are taking special dietary supplements or calcium-containing vitamins, remember that along with calcium, these preparations should also contain vitamin D3. By the way, we get the same vitamin during exposure to the sun, so expectant mothers are recommended to walk more in the fresh air, especially in good weather.

So, based on the norm of 1.5 g of calcium per day, you can make the following menu:

- 200 g of cottage cheese (4-5%);

- 200 ml of low-fat kefir;

- 200 ml of milk (including the one on which something was cooked);

- 50 g of cheese.

Plus, you can add to this diet:

- dried fruits,

- green vegetables,

- cabbage (any - broccoli, white, red, cauliflower, etc.),

- egg yolks

- Rye bread.

All foods contain calcium to one degree or another. But we must remember that the absorption of calcium is blocked by magnesium and sodium - that is, if the fish or vegetables are salted, they will not bring any benefit. Caffeine, in turn, blocks the absorption of vitamin D3. Fitin, contained in cereals and bread, also interferes with the absorption of calcium, so it is better not to use sandwiches with cheese and cereals with milk. And the sedentary lifestyle of the expectant mother, in principle, negatively affects the metabolic processes - which is another argument in favor of hiking.

Other products


A good way to enrich your body with calcium is this: the shell of boiled eggs is cleaned of films, ground and poured with lemon juice. Take this mixture in the morning for a quarter of a teaspoon.

Of course, for the body of a pregnant woman, the sufficiency of all the necessary trace elements, vitamins and minerals is very important. But in everything, as you know, a measure is needed. And now, knowing how much calcium you and your baby need, you will not make those mistakes that can lead to not very pleasant consequences.