Your body doesn’t store vitamin C, so you need a constant fresh supply. This means you want to be enjoying a diet rich in Vitamin C, and you'll benefit from a "safe guard" of a food-based vitamin C supplement.
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What Does Vitamin C do for you?
Vitamin C has antioxidant properties that prevent cell damage in mother.
It helps to repair tissues and heal various wounds.
Vitamin C offers a boost to the immune system, so much that research shows in the general population it lowers the risk for various cancers.
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It is essential for production of Collagen, a cartilage component needed for growth of bones, tissues and tendons. There is a very interesting animal study that showed that vitamin c supplementation in pregnancy improve the structure of the cardinal and uterosacral ligaments. This suggests that vitamin C supplementation may prevent pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence.
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Supports absorption of iron.
Supplementation increases gestational age for babies of women who have PROM (premature rupture of membranes) before 37 weeks. *
Vitamin C has been shown to decrease cancer risk
What Does Vitamin C do for baby?
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Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants and reduces cellular damage in baby.
Vitamin C also boosts the immune system of babies.
Vitamin C supports the absorption of iron for babies as well.
Deficiency may cause:
Damage to capillary veins, often noted by bleeding gums.
Harm to baby’s brain development.
Slow healing wounds, dry brittle skin.
Anemia
Lack of vitamin C for pregnancy is easily detected by slow-healing wounds, dryness of skin and brittle hair.
Foods Rich in Vitamin C***
Green leafy vegetables like cabbage
Red-bell pepper, 1/2 cup; 95mg
Orange, medium, 70mg
Mango
Kiwi, medium 64mg
Green pepper, raw 1/2 cup; 60 mg
Broccoli, cooked 51mg
Strawberries, fresh, sliced; 1/2 cup, 49mg
Grapefruit, 1/2 39mg
Broccoli, raw 39mg
***
Are you just amazed to learn that the standard recommendations for nutrition in pregnancy are in conflict with evidence?
It's a lot to sift through and it can be overwhelming. I would love to support you to have the healthiest pregnancy possible in my mentorship program. Book your free consultation and let's see how I can support you in your pregnancy, birth and postpartum.
Sources:
*Abdulhussain AS. The efficacy and safety of vitamin C administration to women with history of premature preterm rupture of membrane in prevention of such event in current pregnancy: Randomized controlled clinical trial. J Popul Ther Clin Pharmacol. 2022 Dec 6;29(4):e188-e194. doi: 10.47750/jptcp.2022.985. PMID: 36481988.
**Merritt, T.A. Improving fetal lung development with vitamin C and reducing asthma in children. J Perinatol 38, 775–777 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-018-0148-1
*** Health Fact Sheet for Providers: Vitamin C, National Institute of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin C - Health Professional Fact Sheet (nih.gov)
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