Do women need to take calcium tablets in late pregnancy?

We all know that women's demand for calcium during pregnancy is very high, especially in the late pregnancy. As the fetus grows day by day, the mother's nutrient absorption will become more. However, many women are always afraid to take calcium tablets in the late pregnancy, for fear that the child will be too big and affect the delivery. Let's find out whether women need to take calcium tablets in the late pregnancy.

Do women need to take calcium tablets in late pregnancy?

Late pregnancy: 1200 mg/day

As the fetus continues to grow, the demand for calcium increases further. Drink 500 ml of milk or yogurt every day, take 500 mg of calcium tablets, and eat some calcium-rich foods to get the required amount of calcium. Of course, don't forget the daily sunshine, which should be no less than one hour a day in winter and about half an hour in summer. Also, try to avoid the period between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the ultraviolet rays are the strongest.

How to choose calcium tablets for pregnant women

When pregnant women choose calcium tablets, in addition to looking at the calcium content calculated as elemental calcium, a very important point is safety. In addition, they must also consider the product's solubility, the body's absorption and utilization rate, as well as the cost-effectiveness and taste.

1. When considering the calcium content of calcium tablets, it is worth noting that if you are drinking milk powder for pregnant women at the same time, you must learn to calculate the amount of calcium you consume. You can take calcium tablets alone, or you can drink milk powder or milk at the same time. The key is to control the calcium intake within a reasonable range.

2. The safety of calcium supplements is especially important for pregnant women. You may have heard of activated calcium. Active calcium tablets are generally made from natural raw materials rich in calcium, such as shells, which are calcined at high temperatures. They have a high degree of ionization and are easily absorbed and utilized by the body. However, some biological calcium preparations contain elements that are harmful to pregnant women, such as cadmium, bismuth, lead, etc. Therefore, long-term use of this type of calcium supplements for pregnant women may pose a potential risk of heavy metal poisoning.

3. The solubility of calcium tablets is an important consideration when pregnant women choose calcium supplements. Oral calcium tablets must be in the form of calcium ions to be absorbed in the intestines. Therefore, if the calcium tablets have high solubility, they may be absorbed more completely. In terms of solubility, milk calcium, calcium chloride, calcium gluconate, calcium citrate, etc. have better solubility, while calcium lactate, calcium bicarbonate and untreated active calcium have poorer solubility.

4. The absorption and utilization rate of calcium tablets is related to solubility, but it is not an equal relationship because there are many factors that affect calcium absorption. Generally speaking, when your body is deficient in calcium, the absorption rate of calcium supplements is higher; when your body is not deficient in calcium, the absorption rate of calcium supplements is relatively low. The gastrointestinal function of pregnant women, the time and dosage of taking calcium tablets, and the food eaten together may affect the absorption rate of calcium tablets. Scientific research shows that under the same conditions, the absorption rates of various calcium tablets on the market are not very different, generally between 20% and 40%. There is also a kind of liquid calcium on the market, which focuses on its high absorption rate. It is a specially treated ultrafine particle suspension of calcium carbonate. Some liquid calcium claims to have an absorption rate of over 90%, but in fact, inorganic calcium is difficult to dissolve in water and oil, so this seems difficult to explain in theory.

5. Cost-effectiveness is also an issue that pregnant women cannot ignore when choosing calcium tablets. After all, calcium supplementation is a long-term behavior for some pregnant women. It is recommended that you do not pursue high prices one-sidedly, because expensive calcium tablets may not necessarily have a good calcium supplement effect. You can choose calcium tablets according to your financial conditions.

6. Finally, taste is also one of the important factors for pregnant women to choose calcium tablets when supplementing calcium. If you have a poor appetite and have high requirements for taste, then it is particularly important to choose calcium tablets with good taste and flavor.

Do women need to take calcium tablets in the late pregnancy? It also depends on their physical condition. If you have leg cramps at night or the fetus is poorly developed during physical examination, you need to take extra calcium tablets. However, many women have a reasonable diet during pregnancy and have no obvious symptoms of calcium deficiency, so they do not need to take calcium tablets. After all, everyone's physique and physical condition are different, and calcium supplementation should be chosen based on their physical condition. In addition, women in the late pregnancy must pay special attention not to engage in strenuous exercise, must maintain a normal diet, and pay attention to nutritional balance. Do not eat only a single food, and do regular prenatal examinations.