The Importance of Vitamin K2 in Pregnancy
Pregnant mothers make special efforts on their nutrient intake as a fetus’ health and nutrition condition are highly dependent on maternal intake.
Taking vitamins during pregnancy is very common as they support nutrition for a mom and promote a fetus’ growth when proper dietary allowances are taken.
Speaking of vitamins, Vitamin K2 is also one of the helpful vitamin supplements for the health of both mom and baby.
What Does Vitamin K2 Do for a Pregnant Woman?
Vitamin K2 is known for its efficacy in working closely with Vitamin D to help direct calcium from soft tissues to the bone. And studies have shown that Vitamin K2 helps improve bone health for pregnant women.
Due to a fetus’s high demand for calcium for growing strong bones, pregnant women may have calcium deficiency as calcium is transferred from the mother to the fetus.
When deficiency occurs, both the mom and the fetus can be affected, leading to adverse effects on a mom’s bone health and the formation of the baby’s physical development.
Would There be Side Effects?
Vitamin K has not been reported to cause defects to a fetus or other problems to the mom.
Currently, there is no known toxicity for Vitamin K2, and no tolerable upper level has been set for K2 in pregnancy as there have been no studies on reproductive or teratogenic risk.4 (Benjamin Brown, 2020).
Final Thoughts
Many researchers recommend that pregnant women take vitamin K2 to benefit both mom and fetus. However, the best way to avoid the risks is by always consulting a doctor before taking supplements!
Reference | Benjamin Brown, Ciara Wright, Safety and efficacy of supplements in pregnancy, Nutrition Reviews, Volume 78, Issue 10, October 2020, Pages 813–826