Calcium during pregnancy - features of administration

Calcium during pregnancy

Calcium is a biologically significant macronutrient necessary for full human life. Most of the mineral (98–99%) is contained in bone and cartilage tissue. The remaining percentage of calcium is involved in many important processes in the body:

• transmission of nerve signals;
• blood clotting;
• cell activity;
• muscle contractions, etc.

The mineral is necessary for:

• proper functioning of the heart and blood vessels;
• gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, uterus;
• maintaining normal weight.

Recent scientific evidence has confirmed that sufficient calcium intake reduces the risk of developing cancer by 25%.

During pregnancy, especially in the second half, the female body’s need for this mineral increases sharply. At this time, the fetus actively increases skeletal and muscle mass. The child takes calcium from the mother’s body, so it is important for a woman to replenish her reserves of this mineral daily.

A pregnant woman needs to replenish her body's calcium reserves daily.

The role of the mineral for the health of the expectant mother and fetus

A pregnant woman needs calcium for:

• beauty of teeth, nails, hair, skin;
• strengthening the nervous system;
• prevention of allergic reactions;
• preventing large blood losses during childbirth;
• reducing uterine hypertonicity;
• eliminating night cramps;
• reducing blood cholesterol;
• normalization of blood glucose levels.

A child needs calcium to form:

• skeleton;
• nervous system;
• internal organs and tissues;
• ears, eyes, teeth, nails.

What are the dangers of calcium deficiency?

According to statistics, about 17% of pregnant women experience calcium deficiency. This is fraught with the following problems:

• tooth decay;
• dryness and flaking of the skin;
• hair loss

If you do not take any measures to enrich the expectant mother’s body with calcium, then after childbirth the situation gets worse:

• a woman’s appearance suffers;
• osteoporosis (decreased bone density) may occur;
• symphysitis develops (divergence of the pubic bones);
• late gestosis (toxicosis) occurs;
• preeclampsia appears (swelling and high blood pressure);
• cataracts develop (clouding of the lens of the eye);
• Arterial hypertension (increased blood pressure) occurs.

Children born in conditions of deficiency of this macronutrient often suffer from rickets. This is a disease that is characterized by improper formation of the skeleton. In addition, the child’s brain may function poorly, problems with the nervous system and blood circulation may arise. Such babies do not gain weight well, their teeth erupt later, and their hormonal levels suffer.

How much calcium do you need per day?

The norm for calcium intake for a pregnant woman, approved by the Ministry of Health, is 1100 mg per day in the second half of pregnancy. It is assumed that in the early stages the need for the mineral remains within 800 mg, subject to a properly balanced diet and the absence of bad habits. At the beginning of pregnancy, the baby needs about 10 mg of the mineral per day, and from the second trimester this need increases sharply to 250–300 mg.

Calcium is also found in ordinary water.

The maximum daily dose of calcium for pregnant women should not be higher than 1500 mg. An overdose can lead to mental and physical disorders in the development of the child, and for the expectant mother there is a risk of constipation. A large amount of calcium interferes with the absorption of equally valuable elements such as magnesium, zinc, etc.

During pregnancy, the rate of absorption of all nutrients doubles. Therefore, if a woman does not have symptomatic or clinical signs of calcium deficiency, then taking it just in case is not necessary, and even dangerous.

Foods High in Calcium

Minerals are better absorbed from natural products than from those made synthetically. A reasonably designed diet will allow a pregnant woman to avoid taking medications. There are many foods rich in calcium:

• dairy;
• nuts;
• green vegetables;
• greenery;
• fish and seafood, etc.

Knowing which foods have a high calcium content, you can correctly plan the menu for a pregnant woman.
The most preferable dairy products are the following:

• cottage cheese (120–164 mg per 100 g, depending on fat content);
• kefir (120 mg);
• yogurt (120–124 mg);
• acidophilus (120–124 mg);
• hard cheeses (up to 1300 mg).

The opinion that low-fat dairy products do not contribute to excess weight gain is incorrect - it’s just the opposite. Doctors recommend that pregnant women consume fermented milk of normal fat content - calcium is better absorbed from it.

In fact, all vegetables are calcium stores, except those that contain oxalic acid (sorrel, spinach, beets). This acid, combining with the mineral, creates insoluble salts that are difficult to absorb into the blood. It is preferable to make soup from vegetables, since during heat treatment some of the calcium is released into the broth. Oatmeal and semolina contain phytin, which removes calcium from the body. The following foods and dishes interfere with the absorption of the mineral:

• fat;
• smoked;
• salt;
• flour products;
• sweet soda;
• coffee, tea, cocoa.

Frequent stress also provokes intense removal of calcium from the body. Therefore, the expectant mother needs to remain calm.

Important: calcium is well absorbed in the presence of vitamin D and phosphorus in the body.

Walking in nature during the warm season will be an excellent source of vitamin D, and phosphorus is provided by fish when consumed regularly. Another important factor for good calcium absorption is physical activity. Depending on the characteristics of pregnancy, a woman should choose the optimal physical activity.

Walking in nature during the warm season will help nourish a pregnant woman’s body with vitamin D

Natural Sources of Calcium

The best option is to get calcium from natural sources. Then it will be completely absorbed, and there will definitely be no side effects (intoxication, kidney stones) from an overdose of drugs. To do this, it is very important to properly plan your diet.

You should definitely consume the following products:

• natural yogurt;
• homemade cottage cheese;
• hard cheeses;
• shrimps;
• peas;
• beans;
• poppy;
• sesame;
• fruits (oranges, peaches, strawberries, currants, figs);
• vegetables (carrots, cucumbers, celery, broccoli);
• fresh herbs (basil, parsley);
• nuts (almonds);
• brown algae;
• cod;
• Atlantic sardines.

An important detail should be noted - calcium is well absorbed in combination with vitamin D. Therefore, you should be in the sun more often, if possible. A half-hour walk in the sun will be enough for this. Additional sources of vitamin D: fish oil, cod liver, egg yolks.

Indications and contraindications for prescribing calcium supplements

Only a doctor can make a decision about taking calcium supplements for a pregnant woman. The basis for prescribing calcium should be clinical and laboratory data, as well as specific symptoms. In general, pregnancy is an indication for taking the mineral. The drug can also be prescribed for the following pathologies:

• insufficiency of parathyroid gland function;
• rickets;
• allergies;
• bleeding;
• skin diseases (psoriasis, eczema, etc.);
• increased vascular permeability, etc.

The official instructions list the following as contraindications to taking calcium supplements:

• hypersensitivity;
• hypercalcemia;
• chronic diarrhea;
• severe hypercalciuria (a type of depression);
• calcium nephrourolithiasis (kidney stones);
• thrombophlebitis (a disease of the veins in the lumen of which thrombosis with inflammation occurs);
• thrombosis (blockage of blood vessels, preventing the outflow of blood);
• sarcoidosis (granulomas in the tissues of various organs);
• simultaneous use of cardiac glycosides (risk of arrhythmias);
• malignant tumors;
• atherosclerosis (damage to blood vessels);
• renal failure.

Signs of calcium deficiency and excess in the body

Calcium deficiency is manifested by the following indicators:

• feeling of “goosebumps” all over the body;
• night muscle cramps;
• tremor;
• pain in bones, muscles;
• increased fatigue, anxiety, excitability;
• rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath;
• increased sweating;
• insomnia;
• brittle nails;
• dullness of hair;
• intestinal spasms;
• disorders of appetite and stool, etc.

Excess calcium occurs when taken in the form of synthetic drugs in a daily dosage of more than 2000 mg. If food and water are rich in the mineral, then hypercalcemia occurs - a very dangerous condition for human health and even life. This syndrome is characterized by the following symptoms:

• loss of appetite;
• thirst;
• nausea;
• vomit;
• weakness;
• convulsions;
• azotemia;
• kidney and bladder stones;
• blood clotting disorder;
• weakened immune system, etc.

Symptoms and consequences of calcium deficiency in pregnant women

According to medical statistics, 17% of all women do not have enough calcium during pregnancy.

This manifests itself in various conditions:

If preeclampsia is added to the lack of calcium, all symptoms will intensify significantly.

If the expectant mother does not tell the gynecologist about her condition or does not adhere to his recommendations (nutrition, medication), this may soon result in such consequences as:

• development of osteoporosis and osteomalacia;
• toxicosis, gestosis;
• intense hair loss;
• development of caries, tooth loss;
• deterioration of the skin condition (becomes dry, flaky).

Statistics show that every fifth pregnant woman experiences most of the above symptoms in later pregnancy. Children born to these women are more often diagnosed with rickets.

Rickets is a disease characterized by impaired growth and development of bones, which sometimes leads to pathologies of the entire skeleton as a whole. Read more about rickets in children→

Where to get calcium

After diagnosing calcium deficiency, the doctor prescribes a specific drug. There are a lot of calcium complexes. As a rule, calcium is not available in pure form, but only in the form of salt. Manufacturers often use the following compounds (the actual calcium content in parentheses):

• gluconate (9.3%);
• chloride (27.25%);
• carbonate (40%);
• citrate (21.05%).

There are other compounds, but they are less commonly used in pharmacology. This:

• lactate;
• phosphate;
• glycerophosphate;
• acetate;
• citrate.

Table: calcium supplements

Photo gallery: calcium supplements most often prescribed during pregnancy

Calcium D3 Nycomed contains the highest dose of calcium compared to other drugs

A complex calcium supplement is often prescribed to pregnant women.

Calcium gluconate contains a minimal dose of calcium

Contraindications

There are a number of conditions in which calcium intake is contraindicated. Among them:

• calcium nephrourolithiasis;
• taking digitalis-based medications;
• impaired kidney function;
• poor blood clotting;
• atherosclerosis;
• tendency to thrombosis;
• vitamin D hypervitaminosis;
• intolerance to components.

If the mineral enters the body in excessive quantities, hypercalcemia develops, which is fraught with unpleasant consequences. Among them:

• birth injuries due to compaction of the cranial bones (the baby’s head cannot adjust well when passing through the mother’s birth canal);
• calcifications in the placenta (impair the supply of nutrients to the baby);
• premature overgrowth of the fontanel in a baby;
• the occurrence of gallstone disease in a woman.

If tests confirm an excess of calcium, then doctors must prescribe diuretics to the woman to speed up the process of excretion of the macroelement.

During pregnancy, the doctor must monitor the health status of the pregnant woman and promptly identify calcium deficiency. This element is simply necessary for the health of the mother and the unborn child. But you should not take pills without a specialist’s prescription.

Reviews

I take Vitrum, but the doctor said that I need to drink calcium three times during pregnancy. Now I take Kalcemin, it contains calcium and magnesium and something else that helps to absorb this calcium, just look - there is Kalcemin simply, and there is Kalcemin Advances (it is not suitable for you, it is for joint pain). Try it - it’s very good, my nails got stronger with it, and my hair began to fall out less. You need to drink for 10-14 days, 1 tablet 2 times a day. The instructions say differently, but the doctor told me that this is the right thing, too much calcium is also bad.

valentine

https://deti.mail.ru/forum/v_ozhidanii_chuda/beremennost/kalcij_vo_vremja_beremennosti/?page=2

I was also prescribed Calcium D3 Nycomed. Saw. The doctor said that calcium cannot be fully absorbed from foods, and during pregnancy the need for it increases. Everything is fine, the child is healthy, thank God, the pregnancy proceeded without complications.

Irina

https://www.babyblog.ru/community/post/mamafood/1695373

I am writing as a dentist... the fact that you drink calcium is far from a fact that your teeth will not decay or something else. Firstly, calcium in its pure form is not absorbed in the body, and secondly, the same Calcium D3 nikomed may not be absorbed in the intestines due to the lack of necessary enzymes, etc. I drank only calcium gluconate at 22 weeks before giving birth, so that the bones of the womb strengthen, but as I had a discrepancy of 8 mm, it remained the same during childbirth. So there's no point. After 1.8 g, I noticed a relapse of caries under one filling, and that was because it was time to change it - more than 17 years have passed.)) It is better to eat a balanced diet so that calcium from foods enters the body, and not to be stuffed with chemicals, often counterfeit ones. Gynecologists mainly prescribe Calcium D3 Nycomed, you can drink it from 20–22 weeks. 1 t per day.

Veronica

https://www.baby.ru/community/view/73449/forum/post/523943977/?page=2#comments

Nutrition for calcium deficiency

The main source of a particular mineral is food. It's no secret that different foods contain different amounts of minerals and vitamins. And it is important for the expectant mother to choose those products that contain the maximum amount of calcium, the list of which is headed by dairy products. Second and third places are occupied by nuts and green vegetables. A pregnant woman should include such food in her diet every day.

During pregnancy, a woman should drink 1-2 glasses of yogurt or kefir every day, eat several pieces of cheese and train herself to eat whole grain bread - this product contains up to 107 mg of calcium!

If a pregnant woman has lactase deficiency, then instead of dairy products you should pay attention to sesame oil and seeds, nuts, seeds and celery.

In addition, it is necessary to add those products that help absorb calcium, for example, fish liver - cod and pollock. These products contain enough vitamin D - one of the best helpers in the absorption of calcium.

Another calcium-containing product option is eggshells. It must be heated in a frying pan and ground to a powder - in this form it can be mixed with cottage cheese, egg yolks, or any vegetable puree.

So, what should a pregnant woman eat to replenish calcium reserves? Here is a list of foods:

• Dairy and fermented milk products;
• Liver of cod and pollock, other fish;
• Fish;
• Green vegetables: celery, parsley, broccoli, cabbage;
• Legumes;
• Sesame - seeds and oil;
• Whole wheat bread.

What hinders and helps the absorption of calcium from foods?

Of course, adding vitamin D and walking in the fresh air helps improve calcium absorption to some extent, but they are still not a panacea. As you know, everything in the body is interconnected and there are also elements that interfere with normal calcium metabolism. For example, increased salt intake can wash away calcium in the urine. Elevated levels of phosphorus in foods (for example, in carbonated soft drinks in the form of phosphoric acid) can also have an adverse effect and cause metabolic acidosis. The same effect can be achieved by increasing your intake of animal protein (such as red meat and eggs), sugar, coffee and chocolate products.

Therefore, to summarize the above, a pregnant woman should:

• Limit the consumption of salt and industrial products (canned food, processed foods, fast food);
• Limit your consumption of coffee and black tea, replacing them with healthier drinks;
• Limit sweet and confectionery products, especially industrial products: cakes, pastries, pastries, sweet carbonated drinks;
• Moderate physical activity helps the muscles to be toned, which helps the mineral to be absorbed. Sign up for yoga for pregnant women, go to the pool, and walk outdoors more often.
• Add more fermented milk products, sesame seeds, nuts, seeds, and green vegetables to your diet;
• Add foods containing vitamin D (fish liver, fish, eggs - in moderation), walk in the sun for at least 20 minutes to synthesize this vitamin.

What calcium can pregnant women take and what not?

Ask your pharmacy for supplements that contain calcium carbonate or calcium citrate. The body absorbs calcium carbonate well from food, and it is affordable. Calcium citrate is absorbed by the body even better; in addition, its intake does not need to be combined with food intake and it does not contribute to gas formation. But the calcium content in it is half as much, therefore, the doses to be taken will be larger.

You should not purchase calcium phosphate because it is difficult for the body to absorb. You should also not take calcium lactate and calcium gluconate, since the content of calcium in these compounds is quite low.

In addition, try not to take so-called “natural” calcium supplements made from bone meal, dolomite meal, or crushed oyster shells or other shellfish. Because almost all of these supplements contain large amounts of lead, the dangers of which you probably know.

When choosing a calcium-containing supplement, purchase supplements that are labeled “lead-free” or labeled “chemically pure” on the packaging. Or you can ask your doctor to prescribe this or that drug for you. Combine the use of calcium-containing supplements with meals to increase the efficiency of absorption of the element from the supplements.

How safe is calcium supplementation?

In tablet form, taking the mineral is quite safe, but some side effects are possible: digestive system disorders, allergic reactions, headaches, loss of appetite. If you are taking other medications, be sure to consult your doctor: the macronutrient impairs the absorption of antibiotics and some hormones.

When answering the question of how long calcium should be taken, most doctors agree on 32 weeks, so as not to cause excessive ossification of the fetal skeleton and early closure of the large fontanel. That is, in the third trimester, it is most often not advisable to drink calcium.

A separate conversation is the decision of how much calcium to take if the pregnant woman has a history of diseases such as peptic ulcers, chronic hepatitis and colitis, diabetes mellitus and bronchial asthma. The calcium requirement for pregnant women in such cases can increase significantly due to difficulties with its absorption or assimilation.

Attention: if you have certain diseases, taking calcium supplements is prohibited. These include renal failure, cancer, phenylketonuria, and hypersensitivity.

How to determine calcium deficiency

Despite the fact that official medicine clearly defines the calcium norm for pregnant women, two out of ten women have a deficiency of the macronutrient. Ca deficiency can be determined by the following symptoms:

• the skin becomes dry and flaky;
• the nail plate becomes brittle, recognizable transverse depressions appear;
• hair splits;
• tooth enamel caries and increased tooth sensitivity develop;
• bad habits appear: biting nails, scratching your head;
• I want to chew chalk;
• convulsive twitching, painful sensations in the bones;
• Heart rate increases.

A more serious lack of the mineral leads to an increase in blood pressure and the development of gestosis, a severe complication of pregnancy in the second trimester and later.

Who is at risk? Lucky women pregnant with twins experience an urgent need for Ca. Babies born in conditions of constant lack of minerals are more likely to develop rickets, which can cause serious damage to the structure of bone tissue. The rudiments of baby teeth are laid in the mother's womb, so Ca deficiency leads to the development of caries at a tender age.

Women whose calcium levels for pregnant women are constantly reduced in their blood are at risk of suffering from osteoporosis at an older age. As you can see, the consequences can be quite serious.