How much calcium should I take every day?
Expert consensus: maternal calcium requirements are increasing. Calcium is an essential nutrient for fetal growth and development, and calcium deficiency can easily lead to poor fetal growth. Moreover, calcium deficiency during pregnancy may also bring a variety of hazards to maternal health. Therefore, pregnant women must pay attention to calcium supplementation!
1) What are the consequences of calcium deficiency in pregnant women?
Pregnant women have unique calcium physiology compared to the general population. Calcium is actively transported between the mother and fetus through the placenta, an activity essential for fetal bone mineralization. When a pregnant woman is deficient in calcium, the mother uses the calcium in her own bones to maintain blood calcium concentrations and meet the needs of fetal bone growth and development.
calcium deficiency during pregnancy, gastrocnemius spasm due to increased nerve excitability due to decreased serum calcium;
The passive loss of calcium from the bones of pregnant women leads to osteoporosis, which is also associated with lower back and leg pain and gastrocnemius spasm in pregnant women;
Especially in the late stages of pregnancy, fetal growth is accelerated and bone mineralization peaks, which is more likely to cause calcium malnutrition in pregnant women. Therefore, calcium supplementation during pregnancy needs to be intensified compared with pre-pregnancy.
2) What is the daily calcium supplement during pregnancy?
For all pregnant women, it is recommended that adequate calcium from calcium-rich foods be preferred to ensure calcium intake. However, if diet alone does not meet the required amount, calcium supplementation is required.
1) For ordinary pregnant women, it is recommended to supplement at least 600mg of calcium every day from the second trimester until delivery, which is conducive to postpartum bone density increase and bone recovery.
2) In the recommendation of WHO for the prevention of eclampsia and its complications during pregnancy for ordinary pregnant women in areas with low calcium intake, it is recommended that pregnant women supplement 1500 2000mg of calcium per day and oral elemental calcium in people with low dietary calcium intake.
3) Pregnant women at high risk of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy:
For pregnant women at high risk of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy (such as pregnant women in areas with low calcium intake, including some cities and rural areas in all suburban counties in China, and advanced gestation age 40 years old), it is recommended to supplement calcium 1000 1500mg daily from the second trimester until delivery, so as to achieve the benefit of preventing preeclampsia or hypertensive diseases during pregnancy.
4) Considering that twin pregnancy increases the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight and fetal growth restriction, it is prudent to recommend that all pregnant women with twin pregnancies should be supplemented with calcium 1000 1500mg per day during pregnancy.
3) What should I pay attention to when supplementing calcium during pregnancy?
1.In addition to a sufficient daily dose of calcium supplementation, when you eat more milk, yogurt, tofu, eggs, cabbage, crucian carp and other calcium-rich foods during pregnancy, you should also eat more during pregnancy. However, for spinach, bamboo shoots, coffee, milk tea, carbonated drinks and other foods that are easy to cause calcium loss, you should try to eat as little as possible.
2.Calcium and iron: It is not recommended to take them together, preferably a few hours apart to avoid interactions.
If you are taking other medications, it is best to consult a professional doctor first and supplement calcium under guidance.
3.Timing of calcium supplementation: It is best to take it with meals, as other vitamins in food can promote the body's absorption of calcium.