Comparison of food supplements for pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time as significant as it is overwhelming for your body. Physical changes, hormonal shifts, extreme fatigue, apprehension... Your body is changing and so are you. To support you through these changes and help you get through this period better, it is possible to support your body. To this end, there are more and more food supplements for pregnancy , which will be safe for your baby and lifesaving for you. At Gapianne, a concept store dedicated to feminine intimacy, we have recently started offering food supplements. Interest in these products is indeed recent and we have taken the time to search for the best references and to take into account your customer feedback. In today's article, you will find a comparison of the best food supplements for pregnancy currently available on the market to help you make your choice. We will distinguish two types of food supplements: holistic food supplements dedicated to supporting all aspects of pregnancy and symptomatic food supplements which address specific issues (hair loss, etc.).

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Holistic food supplements dedicated to pregnancy

Pregnancy supplements aim to address all aspects of pregnancy: hormonal fluctuations, physical symptoms, psychological symptoms, and the baby's health. Designed specifically for pregnancy, they have the advantage of being compatible with it. To experience all the benefits, it is generally recommended to take them throughout the pregnancy.

Benefits of Complete Food Supplements for Pregnancy

• 🟢 Compatibility: Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Designed specifically for pregnancy, dietary supplements of this type are always suitable for pregnancy and breastfeeding. Remember to check with your doctor before taking one.
• Fast, turnkey solution: pregnancy food supplement cures combine several active ingredients to address common issues for pregnant women: fetal development, recurring deficiencies, etc. You anticipate your deficiencies and save time and money by taking just one supplement rather than two, three, four (!).
• Baby-friendly: Pregnancy supplements are designed for your baby and their healthy development within your body. They meet the vitamin needs you need to nourish your baby and help them thrive.

Disadvantages of holistic pregnancy supplements

• 🟠 Possible incompatibilities: drug interactions, specific illnesses, etc. Dietary supplement treatments, whatever they may be, may interact with medications you are taking, your medical situation, or even your allergies. This is why you should always consult your doctor beforehand.
• Not very specific: holistic food supplements address the most common issues during pregnancy BUT, as you now know because we repeat it in every article, there are no real rules when it comes to female intimacy and pregnancy. It's also entirely possible that you have other issues and deficiencies: this is why it's important to have a doctor's perspective.

More expensive: Because holistic supplements provide multiple vitamins/minerals/ingredients, they are often more expensive to develop and produce. Therefore, they will generally be more expensive than specific supplements—unless you need to supplement with several different nutrients.

What are the favorite ingredients in pregnancy supplements?

Because your health and that of your baby are often closely monitored by medicine, we like to think that the most important thing, for pregnancy food supplements, is to give you every chance of providing the best nutrients to your future baby:

• Vitamin B9 to significantly limit the risk of malformations;
• Choline to allow the proper development of the placenta, reduce the risks of neural tube defects, premature birth, promote the proper development of the organs and memory of your future baby;
• Iodine to help fetal brain development;
• Iron to support the expectant mother. Iron deficiency is indeed one of the most common deficiencies during pregnancy.

The Gapianne selection

In Gapianne, we have found two references for you that we love.

1. 🌈 Jolly Mama's pregnancy supplements are designed for the mother's good health. It's a cocktail of vitamins and active ingredients to help you get through this period in the best possible shape while providing essential nutrients for your baby: vitamins A, B, E, D and K, minerals, and fish oil for omegas and protection against oxidation. We chose this treatment because it's made in France.

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2. 🌈 Boome's pregnancy supplements are specifically designed for your baby's healthy development: vitamin B9, choline, and iodine are the main components of these capsules. We love that they're 100% natural, vegan (the iodine is provided by algae), made in France, and compatible with breastfeeding.

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Symptomatic food supplements

While pregnancy supplements are designed to address a variety of pregnancy-related issues, there are also supplements formulated to address specific pregnancy-related issues , such as hair loss, iron deficiency, and vitamin B9 deficiency. Unlike holistic pregnancy supplements, these supplements should be taken as a preventative measure or in response to the onset of specific pregnancy symptoms.

Advantages of symptomatic food supplements

• Specificity: The advantage of dietary supplements specialized in treating pregnancy symptoms (iron and B9 deficiencies, hair loss, etc.) is that you only take the supplements necessary for your health and not other ingredients.
• Price: Because they are often more specific and less loaded with ingredients, dietary supplements designed to treat pregnancy symptoms are often less expensive than more general dietary supplements.

Disadvantage of symptomatic food supplements

• 🟠 Incompatibilities: pregnancy and breastfeeding, drug interactions, specific illnesses... Unlike pregnancy food supplements, some symptom-specific food supplements may not have been designed for pregnancy and may be dangerous for your baby and you: select them carefully and remember to ask your doctor/pharmacist for advice. Furthermore, food supplement treatments may interact with medications you are taking, your medical situation or even your allergies.

Dietary supplements for hair loss

Hair loss and brittle nails are common ailments for many pregnant women. To prevent them, or if you experience these symptoms yourself, you may want to consider a specific treatment for this issue. While there are many commercially available treatments, not all are suitable for pregnancy.

That's why we've selected Jolly Mama's skin & hair collagen powder for you. Compatible with pregnancy, this supplement helps with hair growth, skin elasticity, and promotes better healing postpartum, thanks in particular to its collagen complex .

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Dietary supplements to treat B9 deficiency

Vitamin B9 (or folic acid) allows for the proper development of the fetus and limits the risk of malformation. It is involved in cell growth and renewal and its presence in sufficient quantities is particularly important during the first weeks of pregnancy. In its natural state, B9 needs can be covered by the consumption of legumes (lentils, chickpeas, etc.), green leafy vegetables (spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, salad, etc.) and liver. If you have just learned that you are pregnant, it may be a good idea to quickly supplement with B9 because it is essential to have sufficient quantities from the first days of pregnancy.

🌈 In Gapianne, we've spotted vitamin B9 supplements from the Jolly Mama brand, which specializes in pregnancy supplements. Made with 99% natural, vegan ingredients and made in France, these gummies are not only delicious (we love their strawberry/lemon flavor) but also loaded with folic acid.

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Dietary supplements to treat iron deficiency

Iron deficiency is a recurring deficiency for many pregnant women. The iron in their bodies is shared with the fetus, and the deficiency is felt, increasing fatigue and causing discomfort. While there are many commercial cures available, not all are suitable for pregnancy.

🌈 On our e-shop, we have selected for you Jolly Mama's iron supplements for pregnant women . As the brand specializes in supplements for women who want to get pregnant and are pregnant, its supplements are compatible with this condition. They are made from a formulation that allows for the best assimilation of iron. Vegan and made in France, they are recommended if you want to prevent a deficiency or if you are deficient (in this case, you will need to take two capsules per day instead of just one).

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FAQ How do I choose my pregnancy food supplements?

Still have doubts about which dietary supplements to take during your pregnancy? Here, we've listed the most common questions you ask us about dietary supplements and pregnancy. You can also find additional information and answers to these questions in our general FAQ.

Do I really need to ask my doctor for advice?

We recommend that you seek the advice of your general practitioner or gynecologist if 1) you observe symptoms that concern you during pregnancy and 2) you are considering taking dietary supplements.

How to check the compatibility of the food supplements you are considering with pregnancy?

At Gapianne, for each of the products presented, we indicate, in the product sheet under the heading "INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE" if there are any contraindications or risks to taking the food supplements. You can also, of course, ask us via the chat 💬 and our contact form. Please also note that all the products offered in this comparison of the best food supplements for pregnancy are compatible with pregnancy. And as indicated just above: do not hesitate to ask the advice of your doctor / gynecologist / midwife / pharmacist if in doubt.

Can I combine several food supplements?

Combining dietary supplements should be done sparingly and on a case-by-case basis. It mainly depends on the nutrients present in the dietary supplements you are taking. Indeed, overdoses and potential interactions must be avoided, particularly by taking the same ingredients several times. We recommend that you seek advice from your doctor.

Do you have any other criteria for selecting the best food supplements for pregnancy?

There are other criteria that naturally interest us when selecting the dietary supplements we offer at Gapianne. These are our favorite selling points, but they can't always be met by brands because there are many trade-offs to be made—monetary, of course, but not only.

• Organic: Organic certification is of course of interest to us because it certifies the origin of the raw materials and the conditions in which the products were created. However, in the case of food supplements, certification cannot be given if minerals are included in the formulations. We understand that some of our brands prefer to provide essential nutrients to pregnant women rather than follow this particular point of organic regulations;
• Made in France: French standards, in terms of composition but also respect for work and workers, are interesting and this is why we like to support and distribute brands that are attached to them;
• Vegan: We are committed to ensuring that our products do not contain animal products and do not involve animal suffering. However, we are also aware that animal products (meat, fish, eggs, etc.) can provide essential nutrients. We understand brands that choose to use them in their products for the benefit of the good health of expectant mothers and their babies.

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