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Taking choline during pregnancy will protect the baby and mom from stress
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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The benefits of folic acid for pregnant women cannot be overestimated because folic acid metabolites are involved in DNA synthesis.
Humans do not synthesize this water-soluble vitamin, which is a B vitamin. Folic acid can be obtained from food. It is found in foods such as whole-grain bread, green leafy vegetables, legumes, cookies, and honey.
Pregnant women are advised to take folic acid about a month before conception and during early pregnancy.
But scientists say there's another nutrient that also deserves a spot on OB/GYN's list of recommendations: choline.
This vitamin is conventionally classified as a B vitamin complex. It is found in meat and eggs, so if a man decides to please his pregnant wife with breakfast, he may not think long about an exquisite dish, but simply feed her an appetizing scrambled eggs with bacon - both tasty and healthy at the same time.
Choline regulates the growth and development of body cells. Taking choline during pregnancy will help the child avoid problems with mental health disorders and reduce the risk of chronic diseases in the future.
A recent study conducted by Cornell University researchers showed that taking choline can protect a child from developing diabetes and hypertension.
In the study, led by Marie Caudill, associate professor of nutritional sciences, women in their third month of pregnancy took 930 milligrams of choline - twice the recommended daily allowance.
As a result, the concentration of the hormone cortisol (the so-called stress hormone) in the blood of newborn children was reduced by 33% compared to a control group of children born whose mothers consumed choline in the amount of 400 milligrams per day.
According to scientists, choline can help women overcome postpartum depression and also has a positive effect on metabolic, behavioral and neuroendocrine development.
Food sources of choline include milk, egg yolks, chicken, pork, beef, and legumes. This substance is also found in vitamin complexes for pregnant women.
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