How much ascorbic acid can be pregnant. Daily rate in an interesting position

Date: 30.03.2019

It is inherent in nature that every woman takes care of her child not only from birth, but also from the very moment of conception. As soon as a woman finds out that she will soon become a mother, she changes her life habits. From the early stages of pregnancy, you need to switch to a healthy diet, try to move more, refuse to take some medications. In general, self-medication is now strictly prohibited. Any appointments of a highly specialized doctor should go through the filter of the attending gynecologist. A woman should carefully monitor what she drinks and eats, even what air she breathes. Sometimes the most harmless vitamins and supplements can be harmful and even dangerous if you do not know their full effect. In this article we’ll talk about ascorbic acid - what kind of vitamin it is, how it affects the body of a pregnant woman, consider its useful and harmful properties.

The benefits of ascorbic acid in pregnancy

Ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, is an organic compound that is essential for the healthy growth and development of any organism. A lack of this vitamin leads to serious consequences, the main of which is Zing's disease. The disease was first diagnosed in sailors who went to sea for a long time and could not eat fresh fruits and vegetables that contain vitamin C. The disease is manifested by insufficient synthesis of collagen, the integrity of the connective tissue is impaired. The main symptoms of the disease are lethargy, muscle weakness, bleeding gums, tooth loss, rheumatoid pains. Vitamin C is essential for the body, especially in acute periods - pregnancy, lactation, childhood and old age, postoperative rehabilitation, etc. But how does ascorbic acid affect the body during pregnancy?

Immunity. A woman is often sick during pregnancy, a catastrophic decrease in immunity affects. Vitamin C helps restore the body's defenses, prevents the development of flu and colds during pregnancy.
For the fetus. Ascorbic acid is incredibly useful for the formation of fetal organs, it is involved in biochemical processes.
Prevention of pro-eclampsia. Pro-eclampsia is a serious and very dangerous diagnosis, which is manifested by severe edema, protein in the urine and increased blood pressure. Ascorbic acid, coupled with vitamin E, can prevent this unpleasant scenario of pregnancy.
Folic acid. This is a very important vitamin that is necessary for all, without exception, pregnant women, especially in the early stages when the baby’s organs are formed. Ascorbic acid in combination with iron helps folic acid to be better absorbed. This is an excellent prevention of fetal neural tube malformations.
From smoking. Sometimes a woman continues to smoke or is forced to suffer from secondhand smoke when nicotine is in the surrounding air. Vitamin C protects the baby from harmful effects.
For childbirth. Vitamin C is very useful in late pregnancy, because it is involved in the synthesis of collagen. This means that ascorbic acid makes the tissues more elastic, stretchable. Moreover, a sufficient amount of vitamin C helps tissues heal faster, which will be very important in case of ruptures of the birth canal.
Blood coagulability. Ascorbic acid is recommended to drink in the prenatal period, since vitamin C increases blood coagulation. This is an excellent prevention of bleeding, especially uterine bleeding.
Anemia. Vitamin C helps treat anemia because it is involved in iron absorption.
Vessels. Ascorbic acid perfectly affects the health of blood vessels, strengthens their walls, makes them more flexible and mobile. This allows you to get rid of plaques, lower cholesterol. A sufficient amount of vitamin C in the body is an excellent prevention of varicose veins.
Poisoning. Vitamin C, entering the body, is able to bind free radicals and heavy metals, inhibits the development of pathogenic bacteria. Vitamin is often prescribed in the complex treatment of food poisoning.
Stretch marks. Since ascorbic acid is involved in the synthesis of collagen fibers, this means that it makes the skin more stretchable. This is especially important for the skin on the stomach, chest and hips. Taking vitamin C can protect a woman from stretch marks.

Vitamin C has a positive effect on joint health. During pregnancy, hormones make bone tissue more fragile, weight increases in a short time, all this leads to pain in the knees and ankles. Proper intake of ascorbic acid can prevent the development of such symptoms.

Can ascorbic acid be harmful during pregnancy?

Any product and any drug can harm the body if taken thoughtlessly, without a doctor’s prescription. Especially if this technique is regular, and the dosage is significantly exceeded.

First of all, the danger of prolonged and uncontrolled intake of ascorbic acid is associated with high blood coagulability. If you do not follow this process, ascorbic acid can cause blood clotting and blood clots.
A large amount of ascorbic acid can corrode the walls of the stomach, this is manifested by nausea, heartburn, severe pain in the abdomen.
An overdose of vitamin C can lead to metabolic disorders in the mother's body, this leads to the fact that the child has an allergy.
An excess of ascorbic acid can cause the formation of kidney stones.
Vitamin intake is strictly contraindicated in diabetes.
A large amount of ascorbic acid can cause reactions such as insomnia, headaches, flushing, fever.
Sometimes even a small amount of vitamin C leads to unpleasant symptoms in the form of excitability, skin rash, and indigestion. This indicates the individual intolerance of this substance.

Remember that taking vitamin C on a regular basis is only possible after prescribing a doctor. As a rule, there must be good reasons for this.

It is believed that a young and healthy woman without chronic diseases does not need additional intake of ascorbic acid, especially on a regular basis. Especially if her diet is adequate and balanced. During pregnancy, you can support the body with vitamin C, which some foods are rich in. Most of the vitamin is found in rosehip, red pepper, sea buckthorn, blackcurrant, Brussels sprouts, kiwi, mountain ash, orange, strawberries, etc. To get only benefits from fruits, you need to try to eat seasonal vegetables and fruits that grow in your native region.

Ascorbic acid was discovered at the beginning of the 20th century, many hopes were assigned to the vitamin. Indeed, moderate consumption of vitamin C helps maintain the body and protect against colds. But this is far from a panacea, and ascorbic acid should be used wisely. Remember that a better medicine is a varied and balanced diet!

Video: what will happen if you eat a lot of ascorbic acid

During pregnancy, women have to be selective about what enters their body. And this is not so much about food as medical products. Even a harmless ascorbicum is scary to drink without knowing how it will affect the fetus. Therefore, you need to understand how useful ascorbic acid is during pregnancy.

Ascorbic acid - what is it?

Ascorbic acid is a well-known vitamin C. By its physical properties, ascorbic acid in its original form is a white crystalline powder that dissolves well in water. The taste is sour and probably familiar to everyone since childhood.

Ascorbic acid is available in the form of tablets, powder, dragees and even a solution, which is used for carbon monoxide poisoning. In addition to pharmacology, vitamin C is also used in cosmetology, cooking, food processing and even photography. Ascorbic, or rather its organic compound, is widely used as a developing substance not only in industry, but also in amateur photography.

History tour

The name ascorbic acid comes from the ancient Greek prefix “à” and the Latin word scorbutus, which means “no scurvy”. It seems rather strange, but only until you get acquainted with the history of the discovery of ascorbic acid.

Humanity has learned about the importance of vitamin C thanks to sailors. It was they who, eating food on the ship, devoid of this substance, faced with a disease such as scurvy. Her symptoms were expressed in bleeding gums, weakness, muscle pain. However, sailing to the tropical islands, sailors noticed that their inhabitants had never heard of such a disease.

This, as it seemed then, coincidence led to the idea that scurvy develops due to a lack of ascorbic acid in food, which is abundant in citrus fruits growing in tropical latitudes. This assumption led to the fact that in 1928 the chemist Albert St. György removed vitamin C as an organic compound in its pure form. And 4 years later, he proved that scurvy is a disease that is caused by its acute shortage in the body.

The benefits of ascorbic acid

To understand whether ascorbic acid is possible during pregnancy, you need to find out its effect (beneficial and not so) on the body. You should start with the beneficial properties of vitamin C.

The benefits of ascorbic acid:

It stimulates the production of interferon, therefore, increases immunity.
Participates in the formation of collagen - a substance on which the state of bone tissue, skin, and hair directly depends.
Strengthens the walls of blood vessels, participates in hematopoiesis.
Improves blood coagulation with hemophilia.
Participates in the deoxidation of the body, that is, it removes harmful substances from it (free radicals and metals), which are formed during food poisoning.
Cleanses blood vessels from harmful cholesterol.
Enhances the action of vitamins A and E, which improves metabolism.

In addition, ascorbine slows down the aging process. Therefore, it is often prescribed for an age-related decrease in cognitive abilities (memory, perception, attention, etc.) and Alzheimer's disease.

Given all the beneficial properties of vitamin C, we can conclude that ascorbic acid during pregnancy is simply irreplaceable. However, you should not draw premature conclusions without familiarizing yourself with its harmful effects on the body.

Harmful properties of ascorbic acid

The harmful properties of vitamin C can be detected only with its excess in the body. In itself, it is only beneficial, but, like with other medications, you must prevent an overdose of ascorbic acid during pregnancy.

Harm of Vitamin C:

Increases the risk of thrombosis due to a strong effect on increasing blood coagulation.
In case of an overdose, stomach pain, heartburn, and vomiting are possible, since acid can corrode the intestinal wall.
during pregnancy, it greatly violates the metabolism, which increases the risk of allergies in the child.
With regular overdose, kidney stones may form.
may cause pancreatic failure.
The risk of allergies.

An overdose of ascorbic acid during pregnancy can also lead to sleep disorders, headaches, and fever. Therefore, it is still not worth abusing it.

Ascorbic acid when planning pregnancy

Thinking about taking ascorbic acid is still at the stage of pregnancy planning. For completely healthy women, as a rule, doctors recommend taking only folic acid and vitamin E. In individual cases, this list will be supplemented by multivitamin complexes and other macro- and microelements.

Ascorbic acid will benefit smoking women and those who have only recently overcome nicotine addiction. The fact is that when smoking a large amount of vitamin C is neutralized (about 25 mg per cigarette). Therefore, smokers a priori have a deficiency of this substance in the body.

In addition, ascorbic acid will have a positive effect on the body in case of anemia and vascular disorders. For the prevention of toxicosis during pregnancy, ascorbic acid is also a good helper.

First 12 weeks of pregnancy

A lot of prohibitions for pregnant women are in the first trimester. All because the female body at this time undergoes tremendous stress associated with adaptation to a new position. However, ascorbic acid during pregnancy in the first trimester does not pose any threat to either the woman or the fetus.

On the contrary, vitamin C, stimulating the natural production of interferon, will improve immunity and, as a result, the body's resistance to viral diseases. The main thing is not to exceed the daily dose, which is 2 g per day. Otherwise, an overdose can cause hypertension, which is fraught with spontaneous miscarriage.

Second and third trimesters of pregnancy

Faced with the question of whether ascorbic acid can be taken during pregnancy, doctors usually give an affirmative answer, regardless of its duration. The fact is that throughout the entire period of bearing a child, a woman's body needs vitamin C not only to increase immunity, but also for proper intrauterine development of the fetus.

In addition, the vast majority of women in this period are susceptible to anemia, which is why they are prescribed iron preparations, forgetting about the beneficial properties of ascorbic acid. Usually it is prescribed in the form of tablets, but there are exceptions.

The use of ascorbic acid intravenously during pregnancy is necessary to increase blood coagulation and the prevention of labor bleeding. Also, a solution can be prescribed to eliminate late toxicosis, which affects women in the third trimester.

Contraindications

Uncontrolled use of ascorbic acid, you can cause real harm to the body. Therefore, do not ignore contraindications and recommendations of doctors.

Contraindications for use:

increased blood coagulation;
tendency to thrombosis (thrombophlebitis);
diabetes;
allergy.

Pregnant women are better off getting vitamin C from food than taking pharmacy drugs. Moreover, it is contained in such products that are available to everyone.

High Vitamin C Foods

Contrary to prevailing stereotypes, champions in vitamin C content are not citrus fruits at all. Therefore, to make up for the deficiency of ascorbic acid, you should look at other products that are richer in its content than oranges.

Barbados cherries - 1000-3000 mg.
Fresh rose hips - 650 mg.
Red bell pepper - 250 mg.
The fruits of sea buckthorn - 200 mg.
Blackcurrant - 200 mg.
Parsley - 150 mg.

For reference: oranges contain only 38-60 mg of vitamin C. At a daily rate of 75 mg per day, you need to eat only 200 g of oranges to replenish the body's natural supply.

As can be seen from the list, there are a lot of foods rich in ascorbic acid. The main rule is not to overdo it. Indeed, an overdose can happen not only from the use of pure vitamin, but also from the uncontrolled eating of its natural sources.

Human health depends on whether there are enough minerals and vitamins in his body. During pregnancy, the intake of the substances in the body is a matter of paramount importance. And one of the most significant components for bearing a child is ascorbic acid.

Vitamin Value

As a rule, a person recalls vitamin C during the period of activation of viral diseases. However, ascorbic acid not only strengthens the immune system, but also increases a person's resistance to various bacteria and diseases.

Among other things, it helps strengthen arteries and blood vessels. A lack of substance can provoke loss of hair, teeth, dry skin and even depression.

Why is it necessary:

Ascorbic acid is capable of eliminating cholesterol and toxins during pregnancy.
It also helps the better absorption of vitamin D, which is formed in the kidneys only under the influence of vitamin C.
Under the influence of this acid, the absorption of iron occurs.
Of great importance is ascorbic acid and for the stimulation of collagen in women. This helps prevent stretch marks, reduce the risk of bleeding during childbirth.
Vitamin C is also needed for the proper development of the fetus. First, it will go to the baby, and the rest will be consumed by the mother. The greatest need for a substance occurs in the autumn-winter periods. At this time, the expectant mother will have to make up for it, taking pills - no more than 2 g per day.

In the second and third trimester, about 60 mg of vitamin C should be ingested.

In this case, it is not necessary to take medicines. You can make up for the lack of substance by eating cabbage, rosehips or black currants.

Indications

Prescribe a drug with vitamin for hypovitaminosis and vitamin deficiency, as well as if a woman has a need for it.

Ascorbic acid is needed in the following cases:

If mommy eats improperly and unbalanced.
If there is prolonged stress, chronic infectious diseases, burns, hard work.
The period of intensive growth of the newborn has come.
There is intoxication in the body of iron.

The cases presented are considered as situations in which a woman desperately needs vitamin C.

First trimester

The first trimester is very important for the development of the fetus. In view of this, a woman should be careful about her health. It should strengthen the immune system, and accordingly, the use of ascorbic acid can help in this.

But you should not get carried away with its intake, otherwise fetal rejection may occur, since the presence of a substance in high concentration can increase the tone of the uterus. The deadline for the indicated period is 2 g per day.

The amount presented includes the total number of incoming substances from all sources - medicines, fruits and vegetables.

Other trimesters

In the second and third trimester, ascorbic is necessary for the fetus and mother. With a lack of acid in the body of a woman, the child will develop incorrectly. In addition, a woman may develop anemia. Protects vitamin C of the child and mother from various infections.

From the second trimester, in the absence of contraindications, a woman should take 2 tablets of vitamin with a dosage equal to 100 mg. But the daily norm should not be higher than 2 g.

You can make up for the lack of a substance by eating citrus fruits and strawberries.

Danger

Vitamin C is dangerous only in the early stages of pregnancy. This is due to the fact that when taken in large quantities, it will increase immunity, which will perceive the child as something alien. And in the end, a miscarriage can occur.

Therefore, in the first trimester you should not lean on citrus fruits thoughtlessly. And if you catch a cold, it is better to follow some rules, but do not use ascorbic acid:

Healthy food.
Relax.
There is garlic.
Try to avoid places with lots of people.
Drink at least 2 liters of water per day.
Drink tea with honey.
Wash hands frequently.
Exercise (moderately).

Then you will not get sick, and you will not need a large amount of vitamin C.

Before using the vitamin, you should consult your doctor. Only he can correctly calculate the dosage.

Intravenous use

Intravenous vitamin is administered only in acute shortage. The decision about the need for an injection is made by the doctor. Self-administration is not safe.

You can not give injections in order to be safe, otherwise the child may subsequently be allergic to foods containing vitamin. The safest way to make up for the shortage is to eat fresh vegetables and fruits rich in ascorbic acid.

Overdose

Vitamin C has a beneficial effect on a woman’s body, but if overdosed, it can be harmful.

Early ascorbic acid was used to terminate a pregnancy. That is why the reception of the drug should be carried out only as prescribed by the doctor and according to the norm. If you abuse it, the following may happen:

The excitability of the nervous system will increase.
Gastrointestinal diseases will aggravate.
Bleeding may occur.
A great chance of an allergy.
Blood pressure rises.

The benefits of ascorbic acid have been proven, but in order for its effect to be positive, the doctor's recommendations should be taken into account.

Contraindications

Can everyone take the drug during pregnancy? In fact, there are some contraindications for using the remedy:

Tendency to thrombophlebitis and thrombosis.
Past premature births and miscarriages.
Diabetes.
Allergy.

If you have at least one of the contraindications presented, the decision to take the drug should be made by the doctor. The consequences of self-medication will be disastrous.

Products

You can naturally get acid by eating a variety of foods. Vitamin complexes, of course, are useful, but nothing is better than fruits and vegetables. Those who do not trust drugs should stop at:

Walnuts.
Celery
Rosehip.
Plum.
Chokeberry.
Berries.
Sweet pepper.
The apples.
Citrus fruits.
Parsley and dill.

It is important to know that the acid in vegetables and fruits is destroyed by contact with air. This means that chopped should not be stored. And if you cut them, it is better to freeze food in the refrigerator. Vitamin is also preserved in fruits sprinkled with sugar. But in canned vegetables and jam it is not.

Pregnant women lack minerals and vitamins. This is due to the fact that the child requires them, and the load on the mother’s body is high. But an excess of substance will not bring benefits, but harm. In view of this, the administration of the drug should be carried out only as prescribed by the doctor and in strictly recommended doses.

Otherwise, it is useful during pregnancy and has a positive effect on the body. Acid strengthens blood vessels, immunity, positively affects psychomotor, helps to cope with toxicosis and make a healthy child.

The period of pregnancy is a difficult and crucial period in the life of every woman. At this moment, all the vital processes of the body adapt to a new stage, energy and strength should be enough for two. Vitamins play an important role in this, ascorbic acid during pregnancy is no exception. Here's a talk in more detail.

reference
The discovery of vitamin C is set aside in 1928, when the scientist S. Zilva was able to isolate ascorbic acid from lemon juice. In the future, this discovery helped save humanity from such a common disease as scurvy.

What is the role of vitamin

Ascorbic acid or vitamin C plays a major role in the life of the human body, and in pregnant women it increases this role at times. Its property is directed:

to strengthen immunity and the prevention of infectious diseases;
to participate in biochemical processes when laying the organs of the unborn baby;
to prevent the development of preeclampsia, a severe form of toxicosis in pregnant women together with vitamin E;
to increase the iron content, which contributes to the prevention and treatment of iron deficiency anemia in pregnant and lactating mothers;
to participate in a complex biochemical process together with iron. This blows, is converted into folic acid. She, in turn, is responsible for the mental potential and proper intrauterine physical development of the baby;
to protect the fetus from the effects of nicotine in the case of bad habits like smoking in the expectant mother or in the case of secondhand smoke, when the father suffers from such a defect;
for the prevention of a disease such as scurvy;
to strengthen the walls of blood vessels and nutrition of tissues and cells, including the placenta.

Judging by the above properties, one can understand the importance of ascorbic acid during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester of gestation. It is up to 18 weeks of pregnancy that all organs and systems of the fetus are laid. In this crucial period, all reserves of the female body are involved, with a deficiency not only the female body, but also the child suffers.

What happens with a deficiency

The insufficient intake of ascorbic acid into the woman’s body during the gestation period leads to a number of pathological conditions:

frequent colds;
fatigue;
drowsiness;
bleeding gums;
destruction of tooth enamel;
fragility of nails and hair;
fainting
irritability;
distracted attention;
fetal growth retardation;
possibly the development of abnormalities in the fetus.

Daily requirement for pregnant women

Ascorbic acid is one of the vitamins that is not produced in the body, and we are forced to receive it from the outside. But the reception should be correct and the saying porridge with butter can not be spoiled, not suitable in this case. How much ascorbic acid you can eat per day depends on several factors: age, physical condition, bad habits, etc.

Where to look for a treasure

Vitamin C is found in a number of products, so their daily use makes up for the daily needs of mothers and babies, for example:

a glass of orange juice contains 124 mg;
a glass of grapefruit juice contains 94 mg;
100 g of blackcurrant contains 75 mg;
a glass of broth of wild rose contains 67 mg;
one kiwi contains 70 mg;
1 peeled baked potato contains 20 mg;
half a cup of melon contains 29 mg;
half a cup of raspberries contains 16 mg;
half a cup of cherry sherry contains 10 mg;
half a cup of strawberries contains 44 mg;
1 medium red bell pepper contains 60 mg.

Today, the pharmaceutical industry produces many vitamin complexes adapted for pregnant and lactating mothers, the content of vitamins, including ascorbines, are calculated according to the needs of the female body and the baby during gestation.

Vitamin C is available not only in tablets, but also in injectable form for intravenous and intramuscular use. Such drugs are used in urgent conditions, when rapid intake and exposure to vitamin are required, as a rule, it is used for bleeding, anemia, etc.

Caution overdose

Ascorbic acid is safe during pregnancy, if you do not take it fanatically in unintended doses, an overdose can create many problems.

reference
Excess vitamin C intake of more than 2000 mg per day can cause a number of complications in pregnant and lactating mothers.

If the dosage is exceeded, the following conditions may develop:

From the fetus, the following conditions may develop:

the development of complications in the fetus (the development of allergies in the child in the future);
scurvy;
heart disease;
developmental abnormalities (cleft lip, cleft palate, etc.);
avitaminosis.

Who should not be taken

As any drug ascorbic acid also has contraindications:

hypersensitivity to the drug;
diabetes;
urolithiasis disease;
cholelithiasis.

What you need to know

Before starting to use ascorbic acid, a pregnant woman should consult a specialist who will determine the need and dosage of the drug.

It should be determined whether ascorbic acid is needed as a prophylaxis or treatment in certain conditions during the gestation period. And also the attending physician will help you choose the right vitamin complex according to your condition.

If ascorbic acid in tablets is prescribed by the doctor, the drug must be taken after meals in the dose prescribed by the doctor. If the drug is administered intramuscularly or intravenously, it is necessary to monitor the injection site so that a local complication does not develop.

In case of overdose symptoms or side effects, you should immediately contact a medical institution.

Frequently asked questions of our readers on the forum

- Why can’t ascorbic acid be pregnant?

Ascorbic acid can be taken, however, in reasonable amounts without exceeding the appropriate dosage.

- Tell ascorbic during pregnancy intravenously dangerous?

If a specialist has prescribed an intravenous dose, then this requires a woman’s state of health and of course the doctor will not allow an overdose of the drug.

- Is it possible to terminate a pregnancy with ascorbic acid?

Ascorbic acid, if taken improperly, can lead to premature birth; this fact must be taken into account and not self-medicated. Be sure to consult your doctor.

In conclusion, I want to note the attention of all pregnant women, taking medications even of vitamin complexes without a doctor’s instructions can lead to serious consequences. With the development of even the slightest deviation in well-being, you need to contact your doctor and not self-medicate. Take care of yourself and be healthy!

During pregnancy, a woman's need for nutrients, vitamins and minerals increases significantly, this fully applies to ascorbic acid. Many have been used to drinking yellow sweet peas since childhood, and it’s unlikely that anyone will seek the doctor’s recommendation on this matter. But during pregnancy, uncontrolled intake of any drugs is unacceptable and dangerous. Therefore, it is important to understand what dose of vitamin C is necessary for the full development of the fetus, whether it can be obtained with food, and in which cases an additional intake of ascorbic acid is still necessary.

What is vitamin C?

Ascorbic acid or vitamin C is one of the most famous and popular means to maintain immunity in the cold season, when the cold season and the flu epidemic begin. But this is far from his only function. This water-soluble antioxidant takes an active part in the metabolic processes of the body, promotes the absorption of iron, protects cells from oxidative reactions caused by free radicals, and even reduces the risk of cancer. In this case, unlike fat-soluble vitamins, it does not accumulate in the body and requires regular intake. Therefore, stocking up vitamins for the winter, unfortunately, is not possible, at least when it comes to vitamin C.

Why is vitamin C necessary during pregnancy?

The value of ascorbic acid for health and the proper functioning of the body can not be overestimated; during pregnancy, several aspects can be singled out that make daily use of vitamin C indispensable:

Strengthening immunity.During pregnancy, a woman’s immunity naturally decreases, so the body tries to avoid fetal rejection in the early stages. Unfortunately, this leads to increased susceptibility to colds, which should be avoided by expectant mothers. Vitamin C helps strengthen immunity and increases the body's resistance to pathogenic bacteria and viruses.
Increasing skin elasticity. Ascorbic acid is involved in the production of collagen and elastane, which have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and its youth. During pregnancy, a sufficient amount of these proteins avoids the appearance of stretch marks, and during childbirth prevents tearing and facilitates the passage of the baby through the birth canal.
Reducing the risk of anemia. During pregnancy and the postpartum period, many women experience iron deficiency anemia (a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood), it is accompanied by chronic fatigue, increased fatigue, pale skin and a general loss of strength. The main way to combat anemia is taking iron supplements or foods rich in this element. Vitamin C is involved in the absorption of iron by the body, therefore, without regular intake of ascorbic acid, it is almost impossible to cope with the symptoms of anemia.
Strengthening the walls of blood vessels. Due to this property of vitamin C, the correct formation of the placenta occurs and the risk of its detachment is significantly reduced, which means that the baby receives a sufficient amount of nutrients and oxygen for full development and growth. At later dates, daily use of the recommended rate of ascorbic acid avoids the occurrence of varicose veins.
Elimination of toxins. Like most antioxidants, ascorbic acid helps to cleanse the body, which is important during pregnancy, especially in the early stages, when the body of the expectant mother is just beginning to adapt to work "for two." During this period, the amount of waste products increases significantly, which, according to one version, is the cause of toxicosis.

In addition, ascorbic acid improves skin health, accelerates wound healing and reduces the risk of hematomas, reduces blood cholesterol and prevents the formation of cholesterol plaques, and also helps with increased physical and emotional stress, stress and depression.

Symptoms of Vitamin C Deficiency

In historical novels and films, mention is often made of a disease such as scurvy, from which sailors or residents of new settlements most often suffered, during the long winter deprived of the opportunity to eat fresh vegetables and fruits. The main symptoms of scurvy are bleeding and inflammation of the gums, dry skin, deterioration of the condition of nails and hair. These are signs of a serious vitamin C deficiency.

It may seem that in the modern world, where fresh fruits and vegetables are available all year round, it makes no sense to talk about such diseases. But it is during pregnancy that many women are faced with an acute shortage of ascorbic acid. Especially often this occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy with severe toxicosis. Nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite can lead to weight loss and a significant deficiency of vitamins and minerals. In such cases, an additional intake of ascorbic acid and other necessary substances is prescribed without fail, most often intravenously, to ensure their full absorption.

Which foods contain the highest amounts of ascorbic acid?

Vitamin C can be bought at any pharmacy, and in a variety of forms (familiar peas, chewable tablets with glucose, effervescent soluble tablets, powders, ampoules for injection). Nevertheless, expectant mothers should refrain from taking additional synthetic vitamins without a doctor’s prescription, because the required amount of ascorbic acid (90-100 mg per day) can easily be obtained with food.

Contrary to popular belief, lemons and oranges are far from the highest concentration of vitamin C (only about 60 mg per 100 g), and citrus fruits are one of the strongest allergens, so you should use them with special care during pregnancy. The following products will help fill the shortage of ascorbic acid:

rosehip (650mg / 100g);
red bell pepper (250mg / 100g);
blackcurrant (200mg / 100g);
sea \u200b\u200bbuckthorn (200mg / 100g);
green bell pepper (150mg / 100g);
parsley (150mg / 100g);
broccoli (90mg / 100g);
kiwi (90mg / 100g);
cauliflower (70mg / 100g);
strawberries (60mg / 100g);
white cabbage (45 mg / 100g).

Thus, the inclusion of even a small amount of vegetables and fruits in the daily diet provides the body with the necessary amount of vitamin C. It is important to remember that heat treatment destroys this compound, therefore products that contain a large amount of ascorbic acid are best eaten fresh.

Could there be too much vitamin C?

The recommended daily intake of ascorbic acid for pregnant women is 90-100 mg per day, in the cold season, at the risk of developing infectious diseases, stress or other indications, the dose can be increased to 300 mg per day (by about 15 days, after which it is necessary to return to the previous value).

The maximum allowable amount of vitamin C that can be taken without harm to health is 2 g per day. Exceeding this value regularly can lead to hypervitaminosis with the following symptoms:

nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps;
headaches, insomnia, increased nervous irritability;
irritation of the skin;
increase in body temperature;
thickening of blood vessels;
the formation of kidney stones;
the risk of premature birth or spontaneous termination of pregnancy in the early stages.

To avoid an overdose of vitamin C, it is important to remember that a pregnant woman receives it not only with food or when taking “ascorbic acid,” almost all multivitamin complexes for expectant mothers contain a sufficient amount of ascorbic acid (for example, 1 tablet of the popular “Elevit Pronatal” complex covers the daily requirement of 100 mg). It is not always possible to refuse multivitamins, since they contain many substances, the need for which is almost impossible to fill up with food, therefore it is important to monitor the diet and not abuse vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C. on an ongoing basis.

Summary

The daily norm of vitamin C during pregnancy is 100 mg per day, to satisfy this need without much effort, you can include in the menu a small amount of fresh vegetables or fruits with a high content of ascorbic acid. An additional intake of synthetic vitamins without prior consultation with a doctor is categorically not recommended, as it can lead to hypervitaminosis.