Bioavailability

Nutrients must be highly bioavailable to improve the body’s nutrient balance. Unlike other formulas, which use cheap forms of minerals with slow and limited absorption, and can often cause intestinal distress such as constipation (calcium carbonate) or diarrhea (magnesium oxide), Prenatal Complete with DHA provides a full spectrum of highly-absorbed, Albion^® mineral chelates. Albion^® is the world leader in manufacturing highly bioavailable mineral chelates, a specialized form of minerals bound to amino acids. This patented process creates natural mineral compounds that use active absorption mechanisms in the gastrointestinal tract to greatly enhance mineral absorption.

Folate

Folate is needed very early in pregnancy and it is recommended that women take folate when planning to become pregnant, since folate needs are high around the time of conception. Adequate folate nutrition before and during pregnancy supports healthy development of the fetal brain and spinal column, and ensures and overall healthy pregnancy outcome. Prenatal Complete with DHA provides 5-MTHF as 100% Quatrefolic^®, a more stable, soluble, and bioavailable form than calcium salt forms of 5-MTHF. Supplementing with bioactive 5-MTHF allows for the bypassing of steps in folate metabolism, which may be especially beneficial in those with digestive concerns or genetic variations in folate metabolism.

DHA

Intake of omega-3 fatty acids is critically important during pregnancy for the development of the fetal brain and retina. During mid-to-late gestation, DHA plays an important role in the development of cognitive and motor functions. An ample supply of DHA is beneficial to baby’s brain and eye development, however, most women don’t get enough DHA in their diets. Thus, it is recommended that pregnant and breastfeeding women consume additional DHA daily, particularly during the last months of pregnancy and the first few years of life, when a baby’s brain develops rapidly.

Iron

Since iron is critical for energy and oxygen delivery to a developing baby, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends routine iron supplementation during pregnancy, though many forms of iron cause constipation and gastrointestinal discomfort. Ferrochel^® iron has been shown to help increase and maintain levels of iron, while being gentle on the stomach and colon. This form relieves the stomach from having to bind minerals to amino acids, allowing iron molecules to pass easily through the intestinal wall at a rate of 3.8 times greater than iron salt forms.

Iodine

It has long been recommended that pregnant and lactating women take a prenatal supplement containing iodine for optimal thyroid health. However, only 15 – 20% of pregnant and nursing women currently take supplements containing iodine. A recent report from the American Academy of Pediatrics highlights the vital role that iodine plays in the development of a baby’s nervous system and brain development. New recommendations reflect this finding, stating that pregnant and lactating women should take a supplement containing iodide, a form more easily absorbed by the body.