Very Health Q&A Women’s Health Pregnancy & Prenatal Care

What to do if there is calcium deficiency during pregnancy? 3 tips for calcium supplementation that pregnant mothers need to know

Asked by:Clara

Asked on:Apr 18, 2026 10:31 AM

Answers:1 Views:448
  • Athena Athena

    Apr 18, 2026

      If a pregnant woman is deficient in calcium during pregnancy, it will not only cause muscle spasms, calf cramps and other symptoms, but also cause pain in the abdomen. fetus Make an impact. Therefore, calcium supplementation during pregnancy is something that cannot be ignored. So what should you do if you are deficient in calcium during pregnancy? How to supplement calcium? Let’s find out together.

      1. 4 symptoms of calcium deficiency in pregnant mothers

      Symptom 1: Calf cramps

      This condition usually occurs around the 5th month of pregnancy, and often occurs at night. Many pregnant mothers are sleeping Dream was awakened. However, although some pregnant women are deficient in calcium, they do not show it. Such pregnant mothers tend to neglect calcium supplementation.

      Symptom 2: Loose teeth

      Calcium is the main element that makes up the hard tissues of human bones and teeth. Calcium deficiency can cause abnormal development of tooth enamel, reduced anti-caries ability, and loose hard tissue structure. If a pregnant mother feels that her teeth are loose, it is most likely that you should supplement calcium.

      Symptom 3: Pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome

      Calcium deficiency and gestational hypertension disease The occurrence has a certain relationship. If you are troubled by gestational hypertension, maybe you should be vigilant.

      Symptom 4: Joint and pelvic pain

      If a pregnant mother does not absorb enough calcium during pregnancy, in order to ensure that the calcium concentration in the blood is maintained within the normal range, under the action of hormones, a large amount of calcium will be released from the pregnant woman's bones, causing joint and pelvic pain.

      2. There is a basis for choosing calcium supplement preparations for pregnant mothers

      Since each pregnant mother’s calcium requirement during pregnancy is not equal, it is best to leave the choice of calcium supplement quantity and preparation to a professional physician. Of course, it is safer to absorb calcium from food. Foods such as small fish, seaweed, milk and dairy products contain more calcium and are easily absorbed by the body. The proportion of these foods should be increased in the diet.

      1. Choosing the right calcium preparation is the most important

      When pregnant mothers choose calcium preparations, they generally choose brands with higher credibility and better visibility. At the same time, they pay attention to the production date, shelf life, batch number, approval number and other details of the product to avoid buying fake and inferior products.

      2. The higher the calcium content, the better

      Generally, the calcium preparations we see on the market actually vary greatly in calcium content. Therefore, pregnant mothers should pay attention to the calcium content rather than the calcium compound content when purchasing. Generally, calcium carbonate has the highest calcium content, reaching 40% ; and Grape Calcium sugarate has the lowest calcium content, only 9%.

      3. The higher the absorption rate of calcium tablets, the more fake they are.

      In advertisements, many manufacturers promote the high absorption rate of their calcium tablets, even reaching 95%. In fact, the absorption rates of calcium preparations are roughly the same, for example, calcium carbonate is 39%, calcium lactate is 32%, calcium gluconate is 27%, etc. Therefore, pregnant mothers can basically judge that the higher the absorption rate, the more likely it is a fake product.

      4. Compound calcium preparations containing vitamin D can help calcium absorption

      Vitamin D can promote the absorption of calcium. For pregnant mothers who are inconvenient to bask in the sun in winter, it is suitable to choose some compound calcium preparations containing vitamin D. This way, there is no need to take vitamin D and cod liver oil, and it is not easy to cause excessive intake of vitamin D.

      3. Calcium supplement tips for pregnant mothers

      1. A small amount and many times are effective

      If you drink a cup of 500ml milk divided into 2-3 times, the calcium supplement effect will be better than drinking it all at once. Therefore, when pregnant mothers take calcium tablets, they can choose small doses of calcium tablets and take them orally two or three times a day for better results.

      2. Choose the right time for calcium supplementation

      Calcium easily combines with oxalic acid, phytic acid, etc., affecting calcium absorption. Therefore, the best time to supplement calcium is during sleep Before and between meals. In addition, blood calcium concentration is lowest in the latter half of the night and in the morning, which is most suitable for calcium supplementation.

      3. Calcium supplementation with bone soup should be done in moderation

      According to folklore, form complements form. Drinking bone broth is actually not the best way to supplement calcium. If 1 kilogram of meat bones is boiled in soup for 2 hours, the calcium content in the soup is only about 20 mg, and the fat content in the soup is very high. The calcium absorbed by pregnant mothers is limited, and a lot of fat is also added.

      4. Supplement calcium in an appropriate amount

      Since calcium is so important, is it better for pregnant mothers to absorb more calcium? In fact, this is not the case. Appropriate calcium supplementation is beneficial to the mother and fetus, but excessive calcium supplementation will harm the development of the fetus.

      4. The more calcium supplements for pregnant mothers, the better.

      Chinese traditional culture emphasizes: when enough is enough, things must be reversed. The same is true for pregnant mothers. Excessive calcium intake is not good for the mother and fetus:

      1. Increase the risk of kidney stones. According to the survey, pregnant mothers who take too much calcium supplement during pregnancy may put susceptible individuals at risk of developing hypercalciuria and developing stones.

      2. Calcification of large arteries. There are foreign reports that long-term intake of high calcium in the body's large arteries tends to cause calcification and reduced elasticity.

      3. Interference with other minerals. A high-calcium diet can affect the bioavailability of some essential elements, such as iron, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, etc. ; Causes the lack of other elements in the body.

      4. Cancer-promoting effect. Calcium belongs to the least toxic Class A nutrient, but reports have found that calcium has cancer It has a promoting effect and may be a potential co-carcinogen. (Reference website: 163 female net)