Magnesium is an important mineral during pregnancy. It helps prevent everything from leg cramps to premature uterine contractions. If your body doesn’t get enough magnesium through your prenatal diet, you may need to increase your intake. Magnesium helps in relaxing muscles and keeps blood pressure levels normal, thus leading to less pain during pregnancy and delivery.
Is Magnesium Safe During Pregnancy?
Magnesium is very important to include in the prenatal diet and should only be taken as a supplement if you are not getting enough of the mineral, Magnesium supplements are safe to take during pregnancy, as long as pregnant women do not consume supplements without a doctor’s advice and do not overdose.
Why is magnesium intake important during pregnancy?
Magnesium helps to relax the muscles, which go through a lot of stress during pregnancy. It controls your blood pressure, which gives you less pain during delivery. It also prevents premature contractions and helps in the development of strong bones and teeth of the baby.
What is the recommended amount of magnesium for pregnant women?
The daily dose of magnesium for pregnant women is decided according to their pregnancy stage:
18 years and below –
- Pregnant: 400 mg/day
- Breastfeeding: 360 mg/day
19 Years to 30 Years –
- Pregnant: 350 mg/day
- Breastfeeding: 310 mg/day
- Those who are not pregnant: 310 mg/day
31 years and above –
- Pregnant: 360 mg/day
- Breastfeeding: 320 mg/day
- Those who are not pregnant: 320 mg/day
If you are unable to take a daily magnesium dose, then try to take at least an average dose of its recommended amount in a week, so that you and your baby can get the benefits of magnesium.
What is the effect of magnesium on the child
Given below are the effects of taking a magnesium supplement during pregnancy on your baby:
- a regular sleep-wake cycle
- Tones the muscles and helps in the development of the fetus
- Fetal circulation occurs properly in the womb
magnesium deficiency during pregnancy
Due to not having a balanced diet, you become deficient in magnesium. If you are not getting enough magnesium from your daily diet, you can take magnesium supplements as per your doctor’s advice. Magnesium deficiency can cause chronic fatigue, muscle cramps and premature uterine contractions, which can affect the delivery of the baby. Apart from this, due to lack of magnesium, the development of the child is also affected, and due to not having enough magnesium in the blood, pregnant women feel prickling in the muscles.
How to include magnesium in your diet?
Magnesium can be included in your diet with the help of a healthy diet or prenatal vitamins. When you get enough magnesium through your diet or fail to consume the recommended amount of magnesium, you can meet your magnesium needs through supplements. Consult your doctor before taking over-the-counter magnesium supplements, as taking too much can lead to blood toxicity, muscle cramps, and other health problems, so it’s important to use caution.
food sources of magnesium
You can include magnesium in your diet through peanut butter, almonds, green leafy vegetables and fruits like banana, avocado and dry fruits etc. Dark chocolate is considered a great source of magnesium for pregnant women and you should include it in your diet. The purer the dark chocolate, the higher the amount of magnesium in it. You can get 350 milligrams of magnesium daily by including foods like almonds, pumpkin seeds, yogurt, spinach and black beans in your diet.
Here is a list of magnesium-rich food sources for your reference:
| Meal | milligrams per serving | Percent (Daily Value) |
| Almonds, Dry Roasted | 80 | 20 |
| Spinach, boiled, ½ cup | 78 | 20 |
| Cashews, Dry Roasted, 28 grams | 74 | 19 |
| Peanut, oil roasted, ¼ cup | 63 | 16 |
| Cereal, wheat porridge, 2 large biscuits | 61 | 15 |
| soy milk, plain or vanilla, 1 cup | 61 | 15 |
| Black beans, cooked, ½ cup | 60 | 15 |
| Edamame, shelled, cooked, ½ cup | 50 | 13 |
| Peanut Butter, Smooth, 2 Tbsp | 49 | 12 |
| Bread, Whole Wheat, 2 slices | 46 | 12 |
| Avocado, cubed, 1 cup | 44 | 11 |
| Potatoes, cooked with peel, 100 g | 43 | 11 |
| Rice, brown, cooked, ½ cup | 42 | 11 |
| Yogurt, plain, low fat, 225 grams | 42 | 11 |
| Breakfast Cereal Fortified with 10% Daily Value of Magnesium | 40 | 10 |
| Oatmeal, instant, 1 packet | 36 | 9 |
| Kidney beans, canned, ½ cup | 35 | 9 |
| Banana, 1 medium | 32 | 8 |
| Salmon, Atlantic, Farmed, Cooked, 85 g | 26 | 7 |
| milk, 1 cup | 24–27 | 6–7 |
| Halibut, cooked, 85 grams | 24 | 6 |
| Raisins, ½ cup | 23 | 6 |
| Chicken Breast, Roasted, 85 grams | 22 | 6 |
| Broccoli, chopped and cooked, ½ cup | 12 | 3 |
| Rice, white, cooked, ½ cup | 10 | 3 |
| apple, 1 medium | 9 | 2 |
| Carrot, raw, 1 medium | 7 | 2 |
magnesium supplement
There is no need for a magnesium supplement as long as you follow a healthy balanced diet. In addition, prenatal vitamins also contain small amounts of magnesium. However, if you feel that you are not getting enough magnesium through your diet, then you should talk to your doctor and take a magnesium supplement as per their advice.
Side Effects of Taking a Magnesium Supplement
Taking an overdose of magnesium supplement can have many side effects on you. Here are some of the side effects of taking too much magnesium supplement:
1. Blood Toxicity
Blood poisoning is caused by high magnesium levels in the body. Over-the-counter calcium supplements are prescribed to lower the magnesium level in the blood.
2. Muscle cramps
You may experience muscle cramps and spasms from taking an overdose of magnesium supplement.
3. Diarrhea
Diarrhea and irregular bowel movements are the result of increased magnesium levels in the body.
4. Other Health Issues
High magnesium levels can trigger the knee jerk reflex in your body. Taking an overdose of magnesium supplement can also cause problems like cardiac arrest, irregular heartbeat and blurred vision.
magnesium salt
Taking an Epsom salt bath works as a magnesium supplement for pregnant women. Magnesium salt bath helps in reducing muscle pain during pregnancy and relaxes your body.
According to a study conducted by the University of Birmingham in 2004, magnesium from taking Epsom baths is well absorbed through your skin and has no side effects. In some cases, taking an oral magnesium supplement can be problematic for people with celiac disease and type 2 diabetes, which is why an Epsom salt bath is a better option.
magnesium sulfate
Magnesium sulfate during pregnancy is given to pregnant women to prevent preterm labor and for a smooth delivery. The magnesium level in the blood reduces the amount of calcium in the uterine muscle cells, and helps the uterine muscles to relax. Thus it prevents premature contractions during 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Why take it?
Even though using magnesium sulfate in pregnancy will not prevent delivery, it may slow down and delay delivery by a few days, which is very important for the full development of the baby, thereby preventing the death of the baby and the child’s lung function can be controlled. Moreover, consuming magnesium sulfate during pregnancy also reduces the risk of cerebral palsy in babies.
take these precautions
Consuming magnesium sulfate in excess can lead to the following problems:
- dry mouth
- nausea
- headache and blurred vision
These side effects can be avoided by using a medicine called calcium gluconate.
side effects
Consuming high magnesium supplements during pregnancy may lead to the following side effects:
- poor reflexes
- to sweat
- anxiety
- shortness of breath
- irregular heartbeat
- muscle stiffness
- Headache
magnesium citrate
Magnesium citrate is beneficial during pregnancy for several reasons. Here you are told the following uses and benefits of it:
- It prevents indigestion and can be taken as a laxative
- It does not have any bad effects or side effects
- It eases the process of bowel movement through water retention in the stool
- Given before colonoscopy procedure for colon cleansing
- It does not interact with most drugs except (tetracycline antibiotics and potassium phosphate)
- Easily absorbed in the body
Although it does not have any serious or life-threatening side effects, it is important to ask your doctor before taking magnesium citrate.
frequently Asked question
1. What does magnesium oxide do during pregnancy?
Magnesium oxide helps in maintaining the right amount of magnesium level in the blood during pregnancy. It is used as a laxative to prevent indigestion and should be taken at least two hours after other supplements, depending on the doctor’s advice.
2. Can I take magnesium hydroxide?
Magnesium hydroxide is used to relieve heartburn during pregnancy and to improve lactation. You should ask your doctor before taking this medicine.
3. What other magnesium supplements do doctors recommend during pregnancy?
Magnesium supplements such as chelates and citrates are commonly recommended by doctors, as they are well absorbed by the body and are found in natural food sources. Doctors sometimes recommend magnesium threonate, magnesium orotate, and magnesium glycinate during pregnancy. All the supplements prescribed for you are decided only after the magnesium level found in your blood test result.
4. Is Magnesium Oil Safe to Use During Pregnancy?
Yes. Magnesium oil is safe during pregnancy and is well absorbed through the skin. Taking an oral magnesium supplement can sometimes cause diarrhea or make it difficult for you to take it with other medications, whereas magnesium oil has not been shown to cause any serious side effects.
There is no doubt that consuming magnesium during pregnancy provides you with many benefits and helps in reducing anxiety during pregnancy, apart from this it helps in relieving problems like stress and muscle cramps. . Although, magnesium is very beneficial during pregnancy, but if your body is deficient then you should take the help of magnesium supplement which is essential for your health and the development of the baby. You should consult your doctor about the brand, type and dosage of magnesium supplement before, during and even after pregnancy, so that you do not face any kind of problem during pregnancy.
