Recently I saw an article arguing for adding calcium to all prenatal vitamins. Calcium is very important: Calcium builds strong bones and muscles among many other things. The argument for the supplementation in the Netherlands is that not having enough Calcium in pregnancy can lead to Preeclampsia.

But too much can cause problems with the placenta and leave calcium deposits(such as kidney stones) in other parts of the body. And because of shifting hormones in pregnancy, we are able to use more of the calcium we take in.

So what is a girl to do?

There’s a few things to consider along with providing your body with enough Calcium: Magnesium binds to calcium for absorption, Vitamin D increases absorption, and there are substances that block calcium absorption. And some things that are high in Calcium may also have these substances. High fiber foods, such as grains, can lower calcium bioavailability.

It’s complicated.

After the nutrition course I took last year I have come to the conclusion that the best course of action, to make a simple and stress free pregnancy, is to eat a diverse diet where food is as least processed as possible and high in fruits and vegetables. Foods that are high in calcium are: dairy, leafy greens, nuts, and fish such as sardines (fish that you consume the bones). A lot of food contains calcium in small amounts and it adds up.

You can get an eye full here: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/