You may need to consider taking a daily supplement of vitamin D all year. Talk to a midwife or doctor for advice. If you do not have enough iron, you'll probably get very tired and may suffer from anaemia. If you'd like to eat peanuts or foods that contain peanuts such as peanut butter during pregnancy, you can do so as part of a healthy, balanced diet unless you're allergic to them or your health professional advises you not to. Many breakfast cereals have iron added to them.
If the iron level in your blood becomes low, a GP or midwife will advise you to take iron supplements. It's found in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, and a balanced diet can provide all the vitamin C you need.
A varied and balanced vegetarian diet should provide enough nutrients for you and your baby during pregnancy. Talk to a midwife or doctor about how to make sure you're getting enough of these important nutrients.
If you're vegan or you follow a restricted diet because of a food intolerance for example, a gluten-free diet for coeliac disease or for religious reasons, talk to a midwife or GP.
Ask to be referred to a dietitian for advice on how to make sure you're getting all the nutrients you need for you and your baby. Find out more about healthy eating if you're pregnant and vegetarian or vegan. You may be eligible for the Healthy Start scheme , which provides vouchers to buy milk and plain fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables at local shops. You can also get coupons that can be exchanged for free vitamins.
If you're not eligible for the Healthy Start scheme, some NHS organisations still offer the vitamins for free, or sell them. Ask a midwife about what's available in your area. Find out more about the Healthy Start scheme or call to get an application form. Sign up for Start4Life's weekly emails for expert advice, videos and tips on pregnancy, birth and beyond.
Page last reviewed: 14 February Next review due: 14 February Home Pregnancy Keeping well in pregnancy Back to Keeping well in pregnancy. This can cause a range of disabilities including loss of bladder and bowel control, and paralysis of the legs.
In some cases, the effects can be more severe. It is unclear what causes spina bifida but it can be linked to a combination of genetic and environmental risk factors, for example a family history of neural tube defects and folate deficiency. Signs and symptoms of spina bifida vary by type and severity and can also differ per person. The best way to reduce the risk of your baby developing a neural tube defect is to take daily folic acid supplements from 12 weeks before conception until at least 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Adding a folic acid supplement to your diet when pregnant reduces the risk of your baby being born with a neural tube defect. You should take a supplement with micrograms of folic acid per day from 12 weeks before you become pregnant through to the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Folic acid supplements are available over the counter from pharmacies at varying doses. Look for supplements that contain at least micrograms of folic acid.
Multi-vitamin supplements generally contain less. It is also important to eat healthy foods that contain folate including green leafy vegetables, broccoli, oranges, avocado, or fortified breads and cereals. You can read more about what foods to eat when pregnant here.
You should talk to your doctor, pharmacist or a dietitian before starting to take any new supplements. Generally when taken orally, and at appropriate doses, folic acid is safe. If you take too much folic acid your body gets rid of any excess in your urine. If you think you are having a severe allergic reaction call immediately. Smoking during pregnancy has been linked to a variety of health problems, including:.
Quitting can be hard, no matter how much you want to, but support is available. NHS Smokefree offers free help, support and advice on stopping smoking, including when you're pregnant, and can give you details of local support services. Smoke from other people's cigarettes can damage your baby, so ask your partner, friends and family not to smoke near you. Do not drink alcohol if you're pregnant or trying to get pregnant.
Alcohol can be passed to your unborn baby. Drinking in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to your baby, and the more you drink, the greater the risk. Find out about alcohol and pregnancy , alcohol units and tips for cutting down. If you're overweight, you may have problems getting pregnant and fertility treatment is less likely to work.
Being overweight having a BMI over 25 or obese having a BMI over 30 also raises the risk of some pregnancy problems, such as high blood pressure , deep vein thrombosis, miscarriage and gestational diabetes. But this may not be accurate once you're pregnant, so consult your midwife or doctor. Having a healthy diet and doing moderate exercise are advised in pregnancy, and it's important not to gain too much weight.
You can keep to a healthy weight by having a balanced diet and doing regular exercise. Not all medicines are safe to take when you're pregnant or planning a pregnancy, whether they're on prescription or medicines you can buy in a pharmacy or shop. If you take prescribed medicine and you're planning to get pregnant, talk to a doctor. Find out about medicines in pregnancy. Some infections, such as rubella German measles , can harm your baby if you catch them during pregnancy.
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