Sufficient calcium intake is important for women not only
during pregnancy, but in every period of life. During pregnancy, calcium is
necessary for the development of bone loss in the mother and for the
development of bone and teeth development in the baby. Apart from that, calcium
has various functions in the body. If not enough calcium is taken during
pregnancy, the calcium required for the development of the baby is met from the
bones of the mother, which paves the way for calcium deficiency and
osteoporosis in the future.
What is the
need for calcium in pregnancy?
During pregnancy, a woman needs to take 1000 milligrams (1
gram) of calcium a day. If the woman is under 18, daily calcium need is 1300
mg.
Is it necessary
to use calcium medicine supplements during pregnancy?
Pregnant women, who can take a sufficient amount of 1000 mg
calcium daily for pregnant women with food and drink, do not need to use
calcium medicine supplements. However, pregnant women who cannot get enough
calcium with nutrients need additional calcium drug supplements.
Multivitamin pills used in pregnancy also contain calcium,
but these usually contain a small amount of about 125 mg of calcium. If the
mother-to-be cannot get enough calcium with the nutrients, 125 mg of calcium
will not be enough. Therefore, other than vitamin pill, calcium pills (usually
water-soluble pills) are given to expectant mothers who cannot get calcium-rich
foods such as milk and yogurt.
Calcium-containing
foods:
Milk, yogurt and cheese are the richest foods from calcium.
Apart from this, dried apricots, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, trout, dark green
leafy vegetables and dried legumes are rich in calcium. Below is the
approximate amount of calcium in some foods and beverages:
- 100 ml of milk: contains 125 mg of calcium
- 1 cup of cow's milk: contains 250 mg of calcium
- 1 cup of yogurt: 250 mg
- 1 slice (30 grams) of white cheese average 100 mg (depends
on the type of cheese)
- 1 handful of nuts or almonds: 50 mg
- 1 handful of raisins: 30 mg
For those
with lactose intolerance:
In people with lactase enzyme deficiency, normal
lactose-containing milk can not consume them as they cause diseases such as gas
and bloating. In this case, yoghurt, buttermilk, tzatziki, cheese are the most
suitable foods due to their abundant calcium content. In addition, lactose-free
milk can be consumed. Apart from this, although the calcium content is less,
hazelnuts, almonds, oranges, tangerines, raisins, green vegetables can also
provide calcium support. However, the amount of calcium in these foods is not
as much as dairy products, therefore they cannot be sufficient on their own.
A pregnant woman who can consume 3 cups of milk or 3
cups of yogurt per day (or can be half) will receive 750 mg of calcium from
them. Since the remaining 250 mg of calcium can be taken from vegetables,
fruits and other foods consumed during the day, there is no need to take
additional calcium medication supplements.
However, a candidate who cannot consume enough milk and
yoghurt cannot complete the daily need of 1000 mg calcium with other foods.
Since foods such as vegetables, fruits, dried fruits, nuts, almonds contain a
small amount of calcium, it will be necessary to consume too much to complete
1000 mg of calcium intake with these foods, which is also not possible and will
also cause excessive weight gain with too much calorie load. Therefore, mothers
who cannot consume milk and yoghurt should be supported with additional calcium
tablets. You should never use calcium, magnesium, vitamin, folic acid, iron
pill or any medication during pregnancy without consulting your doctor.
-COULD YOUR PREGNANCY BE SIMILAR TO YOUR MOTHER'S PREGNANCY?
-BREECH BIRTHS
-OVULATION TEST
-PLACENTA
-DO YOU HAVE MENSTRUATION IN PREGNANCY?
