How much calcium to supplement during pregnancy

Entering the second trimester of pregnancy, the fetus's head, teeth, spine and limbs undergo normal growth and thickening, so the need for high-quality protein is greater than in the early stages of pregnancy. So, how much calcium and zinc supplements are needed during the second trimester of pregnancy? How many mg of calcium and zinc supplements are needed during the second trimester of pregnancy? Let's have a simple understanding of this issue. I hope the following points will be helpful to everyone!

To be precise, calcium intake should be increased in advance during the pregnancy preparation stage to store sufficient high-quality protein for the actual pregnancy. The calcium requirement in the second half of pregnancy reaches 1000-1500 mg/day, and the calcium requirement varies in different stages of pregnancy.

Early pregnancy: generally take 800 mg/day

When a pregnant mother first realizes that she is pregnant, the fetus is still in the stage of cell division and basic organ growth and development. The pregnant mother's need for calcium is the same as that of an average adult. Drinking 250 ml of milk or yogurt every day can provide 250 mg of calcium. Combined with the calcium provided by other foods and plenty of sunlight, it can generally meet the body's daily calcium needs. People who are lactose intolerant or don't like drinking pure milk need to supplement it immediately.

Second trimester: Increase intake to 1000 mg/day

Pregnant women usually start to consider calcium and zinc supplements from the fourth month of pregnancy (i.e. the second trimester of pregnancy). Because the fetus has entered a period of rapid growth, the growth and development of bones and teeth require the support of calcium. In order to ensure the normal growth of the fetus's body length and the normal thickening (or ossification) of the spine, limbs, skull and teeth, sufficient calcium must be supplemented. In terms of dietotherapy, eating some calcium-rich foods such as dried shrimps, tofu skin, soybeans and green leafy vegetables can generally meet the calcium requirements. At the same time, carry out some outdoor activities and enjoy the sun to promote the body's absorption of calcium.

Late pregnancy: further increase to 1200 mg/day

As the fetus grows, the need for calcium increases further. During this period, pregnant mothers need to drink 400ml of milk or yogurt every day, and still need to supplement more than 600mg of calcium tablets for pregnant women to achieve the required amount of calcium!

However, the late pregnancy is also the stage when the baby accumulates the most muscle mass, and the mother is required to provide the baby with 150-450 mg of calcium every day, with an average of about 350 mg per day. Of course, calcium and zinc supplementation in the late pregnancy not only benefits the baby, but pregnant mothers also need to take 1200 mg of calcium every day, and they must persist in supplementing calcium and zinc to supplement themselves and the baby with the calcium needed in the final stage of pregnancy, so as to ensure the mutual benefit of the mother and baby's bones! Of course, don't forget the daily sunlight. In winter, it is generally not less than 1 hour a day, and in summer it is about half an hour, and try to avoid the sun from 10 am to 3 pm when the ultraviolet rays are the strongest.