vitamins & supplements

Back when I was pregnant with my other 2, the only thing I took was a prenatal vitamin. Look at me now! Based on my research about different ways to prevent pre-eclampsia, I am taking the following:

• Selenium: based on this study, this study and finally, this one, finding that selenium lowered the incidence of pre-eclampsia.
• Vitamin B12: based on this study finding that B12 deficiency may have a hand in HELLP syndrome.
• Fish oil: I started taking this 3 times a day for heart health before I got pregnant - remember, I used to have high cholesterol! A bonus for me is that it probably has something to do with lowering pre-eclampsia risk, too! This study says that "women with the lowest levels of omega-3 fatty acids were 7.6 times more likely to have had their pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia as compared with those women with the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids."
• Magnesium (not pictured) I take this to keep my blood pressure low, at my midwife's suggestion. This article discusses why it's an important mineral. I personally take 1/4 tsp. a day of bulk magnesium citrate powder from a local co-op, and I put that in my smoothie. It makes for an effective laxative as well - a bonus in pregnancy! The powder is a purer, more effective form than pills, and I believe you can get it online if you don't have a co-op near you that sells it.  Another way to add magnesium into your life, besides food and supplements? Epsom salt baths!
• Vitamin D: This study is one of many that touches on Vitamin D deficiency being a risk factor for pre-eclampsia. I was tested on May 23rd to have a blood level of 41.7, which, as you can see below, is the lowest acceptable level. This website talks about former and current suggested levels for Vitamin D. My physician must go by the older guidelines because she told me 30-80 was acceptable. In preventing pre-eclampsia, that's not acceptable to me! So I am now taking 400IU from the prenatal + 4000IU, making my total 4400IU a day. According to my research, that should bring my blood levels up from 41.7ng/ml to about 80ng/ml.

Old guidelines for Vitamin D:

Blood levels below 20 ng/ml or 50 nMol/L constitute a serious deficiency

Blood levels above 32 ng/ml or 80 nMol/L had previously been considered acceptable

(I was at 41.7ng/ml in May-acceptable by these older guidelines)

New guidelines for Vitamin D:

Blood levels of 40 ng/ml or 100 nMol/L are now considered the lowest acceptable level - now, 41.7 is way too low!

Blood levels of 60 ng/ml or 150 nMol/L are now considered an optimum level

Blood levels of 80 ng/ml or 200 nMol/L are now considered a safe upper limit -here's where I'm aiming for!

So that's where I'm at so far, at the beginning of the pregnancy before consulting my midwife. These amounts may certainly change and I may add in some more supplements if that's needed.