Pregnacare Plus

Even greater nutritional care for mother and baby

Pregnacare Plus dual pack provides the original fully comprehensive multivitamin tablet, which delivers the essential nutrients for pregnancy including the recommended level of 400µg folic acid and 10 µg vitamin D as advised by the UK Department of Health during pregnancy and breast-feeding, plus an additional Omega-3 capsule to provide a rich source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which contributes to normal brain and eye development of the foetus**.

Important: Some pregnancy formulas do not include the exact 10 µg vitamin D, as advised by the UK Department of Health during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

Pregnacare Plus has been specially developed so that mothers-to-be can safeguard their extra dietary requirements, without confusion about which supplements to take.

Pregnacare Plus Provides

Pregnacare multi-nutrient tablets with 400µg Folic Acid

Pregnacare Tablets contain a careful formulation of 19 nutrients important for both mother and baby. Pregnacare has been carefully developed by experts so that all ingredient levels are within safe levels for pregnancy and are moderate rather than excessive. These include vitamin B12, plus vitamin D and folic acid at the exact level recommended for the development of the unborn baby. Supplemental folic acid intake increases maternal folate status†. Low maternal folate status is a risk factor in the development of neural tube defects in the developing foetus.

Omega-3 capsules with 300mg DHA

The capsules contain high purity fish oil, which are a rich source of the important Omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. DHA is especially important during pregnancy as it contributes to normal brain and eye development of the foetus**. One Pregnacare Omega-3 capsule per day provides 300 mg DHA, the exact level recommended by international experts in lipid nutrition*** for pregnant and lactating women, plus 60mg EPA. The Pregnacare Plus Omega 3 capsule contains the purest pharmaceutical grade fish oil, certified for sustainability by Friend of the Sea. The capsules do not contain fish oil sourced from tuna, shark, marlin or swordfish. The UK FSA advises pregnant women, and women intending to become pregnant to avoid shark, marlin and swordfish and not to eat large amounts of tuna.

Vitamin D in Pregnancy

The UK Department of Health advises a supplement of 10µg vitamin D during pregnancy and breast-feeding, which is the exact amount found in Pregnacare.

Vitamin E in Pregnancy

Vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. Pregnacare contains a low recommended dietary intake of 4mg. This is present in the natural form which is better absorbed by the mother than synthetic vitamin E.

The Importance of Omega-3 fatty acids

Adults can obtain DHA and EPA indirectly through the conversion of the essential fatty acid alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), present in vegetable oils such as linseed but this process is very inefficient. Fish oils provide a much more reliable, direct source of DHA and EPA. The foetus and infant in early life need to receive these fatty acids directly as they only have a limited capability to convert essential fatty acids to more active long chain fatty acids such as DHA.

Brain and eye development

DHA is the predominant fatty acid in the central nervous system, found in the structural walls of brain cells. Amazingly, the foetal brain is made up of 60% fats of which 40% is DHA. There is a large increase in DHA uptake by the foetus and a corresponding increase in cerebral DHA content during the last trimester of pregnancy and the first post natal months. At birth the baby’s brain weight is about 70% of an adult’s brain weight; 15% of brain growth occurs during infancy and the pre-school years. DHA is important throughout this period of development. DHA is found in even greater concentrations in the retina, where it contributes up to 60% of the fatty acid content.

Maintaining Maternal Health

During pregnancy, the growing foetus and placenta can increase certain maternal nutritional requirements. As it can be difficult to maintain this requirement through diet alone. Pregnacare is proud to work in partnership with the Royal College of Midwives to support the health of mothers and babies by raising awareness of the benefits of good nutrition.

Quality and purity guaranteed

What the mother consumes has the potential to be passed on to the developing child, therefore only the purest pharmaceutical grade fish oil, has been used in Pregnacare Plus capsules. To ensure maximum benefit the oil is carefully concentrated to increase its DHA and EPA content and further purified. Each batch is rigorously tested, certified, and fully compliant with stringent EC and WHO rules on environmental pollutants. Natural lemon oil is included in the shell of Pregnacare Plus capsules as an odour-mask for women who find it difficult to take fish oil supplements.

Footnotes

** A beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 200mg DHA in addition to the recommended daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids for adults.

†The beneficial effect is obtained with a supplemental folic acid daily intake of 400µg for at least one month before and up to three months after conception.

***ISSFAL (International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids) Workshop on the Essentiality of and Recommended Dietary Intakes for Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. National Institutes of Health (NIH) April 1999