Vitamin C & Pregnancy

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is essential for tissue repair, wound healing, bone growth and repair and healthy skin. Vitamin C also helps our bodyy fight infection and it acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage.

I know both pregnant women and the baby needs this vitamin daily - its necessary for the body to make collagen, a structural protein thats a component of cartilage, tendons, bones and skin. Based on animal studies, some researches believe that Vitamin C deficiencies in newborn babies can impair mental development.

Vitamin C also helps our body absorb iron. 

Some studies show that taking too much Vitamin C in the form of supplements during pregnancy may increase the risk of preterm birth and there are rare reports of babies with scurvy (a severe vitamin C deficiency) to expectant moms who took vitamin C supplements. Of course excessive vitamin C can also upset your stomach.

I also heard that taking too much Vit C can cause cell damage in the fetus. 

Vit C is also in a lot of foods we consume everyday but it is also water-soluble so you do lose a lot of it every time you pee and pregnant women do pee more than other people! Besides, it is a primal vitamin to support our immune system, which is crucial during pregnancy. 

Heres the recommended amount of vitamin C I found:

Pregnant women - 85mg 

Pregnant 18 years or younger - 80mg

Breastfeeding women - 120mg

Breastfeeding 18 years or younger - 115mg

I have been taking at least 3000mg of Vitamin C but I guess I should look at cutting it down. The recommended daily intake is 85mg for pregnant women age 19 and older. The maximum is 2,000 mg per day. I am taking Elevit which contains 80mg, so I should be only taking 1000-1500mg of Vit C instead.