Looking to include Vitamin D in your pregnancy diet? Read why Vitamin D is such an important prenatal vitamin for a healthy pregnancy and how to enjoy it!
Are you getting enough Vitamin D for your healthy pregnancy? The easiest source of Vitamin D is exposure to sunshine but that’s not always available! And when the sun is shining be careful to moderate your exposure – the amount you need to make sufficient Vitamin D is less than the amount that causes your skin to tan.
Pregnant women need Vitamin D to maintain proper levels of calcium and phosphate in the body, nutrients which are essential for building strong bones and teeth. A lack of Vitamin D can lead to bone deformities such as rickets in children and a condition call osteomalacia in adults.
Good sources of Vitamin D include oily fish such as sardines, mackerel or salmon (wild salmon has more prenatal vitamins than farmed salmon); eggs (in particular the yolk) and fortified foods such as breakfast cereals. Interestingly, sun-dried shiitake mushrooms are also very high in Vitamin D.
Caviar is also a good source of Vitamin D but sadly it’s a food best avoided during pregnancy as unless it has clearly been pasteurised it carries a high risk of listeria.
Should you take a Vitamin D supplement?
Talk to your midwife or doctor if you’re concerned about getting sufficient Vitamin D during pregnancy or when you are breastfeeding.
