When Stephanie became pregnant with her first child at age 32, she devoted her limited energy and funds to preparing the space in her home and gathering supplies. The challenges and costs of sourcing and taking prenatal vitamins have been pushed aside.
As an unemployed mother in Columbia, South Carolina, she’s not alone. The state is home to many women of reproductive age who do not have health insurance. 1 in 8 people To be precise, many more people do not have access to adequate prenatal care. The effects are devastating and can lead to birth defects, premature birth, and even infant and maternal death.
But a few years later, when Stephanie became pregnant with her second child at age 41, she regained her strength. Through a local diaper bank called Power in Changing, we received diapers, information, support, and other supplies, as well as free prenatal vitamins from a global health nonprofit. vitamin angels. If the supplements weren’t free, Stephanie said she probably would have skipped them again in favor of other things. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case.
“With this pregnancy, I had a prenatal and postnatal, and I felt so much better throughout my pregnancy with him…I just feel healthier overall,” Stephanie said. Although she was quite old, she recovered quickly from childbirth. Stephanie’s second child “has definitely benefited from having a healthy mother and a healthy start. He has brought so much joy to my life,” she added.
Prenatal vitamins like those offered by Vitamin Angels are even better to have. the study Pregnant women who are undernourished are more likely to experience complications such as postpartum hemorrhage and premature birth, and their babies have been shown to be at higher risk for poorer cognitive and physical development.
“During pregnancy, a woman’s body works overtime to nourish the baby.” Colleen DelaneyPhD, RDN, is a researcher and registered dietitian who serves as a technical advisor for Vitamin Angels. Simply eating a lot will not have any effect. Delaney added that while mothers with so-called “hidden hunger” may not be deficient in calories, they are “deficient in essential vitamins and minerals needed to support health and baby development.” “Prenatal multivitamins are a simple, proven way to meet that need.”
But social and economic barriers, such as unemployment and unstable housing, may prevent mothers-to-be like Stephanie from taking vitamins regularly. In fact, more than 1 million underserved pregnant women in the United States do not receive important prenatal services such as multivitamins and nutritional support.
That’s where Vitamin Angels comes in. Thanks to donations from individuals and corporate partners such as brain supplement brands Prevagen (It acts as a charity partner, not a prenatal vitamin manufacturer), and pregnant women across the country can receive the supplement for free. And importantly, women are accessing it from local providers they already use and trust.
“Partners like Power in Changing know their communities, they know the mothers they serve by name, and they know the support their customers need.” Ana Cespedessaid the CEO of Vitamin Angels. “We are further supporting their efforts by providing more tools with proven prenatal multivitamins and nutritional education that can be put in the hands of women when they need it most.”
From South Carolina to the East Indies
A few states away from Stephanie in Florida, Tihara was having trouble finding prenatal care options covered by Medicaid. But when she found Bond Community Health Center, which offers a wide range of medical services, she was able to obtain prenatal vitamins from Vitamin Angel and was eager to take them.
While everyone’s experiences and needs are different, and prenatal care should be considered as part of the prenatal care plan recommended by your health care provider, Tihara valued the healthy foundation she had during her pregnancy and birth. Vitamins help your baby’s organs “function and form properly,” she said, and “they also provide… everything your baby needs, including iron and minerals, to support successful growth.”
Across the world in India, a mother-to-be named Santoshini took Vitamin Angel supplements to complete her healthy routine. Like many of her neighbors, she obtained free vitamins from program partners who work with the Indian government to provide health education, child care, immunizations, and more. “With these supplements, I feel like I can get through the day without feeling tired,” Santosini said. This is important because she was also caring for her active 2-year-old son during her pregnancy.
In fact, Vitamin Angels’ impact extends far beyond underserved communities in the United States, reaching more than 74 million women and children annually in 65 countries around the world. In low-resource areas, problems caused by malnutrition during pregnancy and until a child’s fifth birthday can add to the risk of irreversible complications, such as blindness.
But it doesn’t take much to make a big difference, home or away. Case in point: A $1 donation can impact four children. $5 becomes $20.
“Supporting pregnant mothers is one of the smartest investments you can make.” scott mingersaid Vitamin Angels Chief Development Officer. “For the cost of a few cups of coffee, we can provide women with a full course of prenatal multivitamins to help them stay healthy, deliver to term, and welcome a stronger, healthier baby.”
Tom Dvorak, vice president of sales and marketing for Quincy Biosciences, said Prevagen’s management team agrees that the investment is well worth it. “At Prevagen, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to live a healthy life,” he said. “Our partnership with Vitamin Angels allows us to turn that belief into meaningful action by supporting mothers and children with the essential nutrition they need to thrive.”
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
