Nutrition health

Iron is necessary to make hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying part of the blood. Iron is in high demand because the amount of blood in your body increases by 50 percent during pregnancy. The recommended intake of iron during pregnancy is 30 milligrams per day. Adequate amounts of folic acid are important to prevent spinal cord defects. The recommended intake of folic acid is 600 micrograms per day.

The following medications are generally safe.

• Fever: Tylenol® (regular or extra strength)
• Post-nasal drip: Chlor-Trimeton®
• Head congestion: Sudafed® (regular – not to be used before 13 weeks of pregnancy)
• Cough: Robitussin® (regular, no alcohol)
• Nasal congestion: Afrin® nasal spray may be used for a limited time period (for example, at bedtime for seven nights during a cold)

Avoid using aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil® or Motrin®) or NyQuil®.

You may buy an over-the-counter prenatal vitamin. Make sure it has at least 600 micrograms of folic acid. Most prenatal vitamins contain 800 micrograms of folic acid. Your doctor, nurse practitioner or certified nurse-midwife will check your hemoglobin during your pregnancy; if it is low, an iron supplement will be recommended.

Generally, it is not necessary to call your doctor, nurse practitioner or certified nurse-midwife if you have been exposed to the common cold or stomach flu. Other illnesses, such as chickenpox, measles, mumps or fifth disease (caused by a virus; can be dangerous if a mother passes it on to her baby), do require a call. If you have been exposed to any illness and are concerned, call for advice.