1. By: Ana Bayma-Meyer and Camille West Prenatal Minerals: Which minerals are essential in pregnancy that help develop/ grow the child in the uterus?

2. Which minerals are in pregnancy that help the fetus grow? What is human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)? Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is a hormone that supports t he normal development of an egg in a woman's ovary, and stimulates the release of the egg during ovulation. HCG also predicts if a women is pregnant by how high her levels of HCG are (as shown in the table chart above). In HCG, there are traces of Zinc, Copper, and Magnesium These Elements are simplified into minerals and into medications to help produce a healthy baby. Some minerals that help with the growth of a child is in fact Zinc, C opper, Magnesium, and Calcium.

3. Minerals Zinc The mother's body needs zinc for the production, repair, and function of DNA – the body's genetic blueprint. The mother and child getting enough zinc is particularly most important for the rapid cell growth that occurs during pregnancy. This essential m ineral also helps support the mother's immune system, maintain the mo ther's sense of taste and smell, and the mineral can help heal wounds dur ing anytime of pregnancy. Studies link a zinc deficiency to: -Miscarriage -toxemia ( a dangerous pregnancy complication characterized by high blo od pressure. ) -low birth weight -other problems during labor and delivery

4. Minerals cont. Copper Copper, a trace mineral found in all plant and animal tissues, is es sential for forming red blood cells. This is especially important du ring pregnancy, when the mothers blood supply doubles. Copper also boosts the mothers body's ability to mend tissues and break down sugars. And it also helps develop healthy hair too. During pregnancy, copper plays a big role in forming the baby's heart, blood vessels, and skeletal and nervous systems. Not having enough copper in the mothers diet while being pregnant according to statistics; can result in a miscarriage.

5. Minerals cont. Calcium and Magnesium Magnesium helps build and repair your body's tissues. A severe deficiency during pregnancy may lead to preeclampsia (a medical disorder where a pregnant wo man has too much protein and has high blood pressure), poor fetal growth, and even infant mortality Magnesium and Calcium work in combination: Magnesium relaxes muscles, while calcium stimulates m uscles to contract. Research suggests that proper levels of magnesium during pregnancy can help keep the uterus from cont racting too early. Magnesium also helps build strong bones and teeth, regulates insulin and blood sugar levels, and helps certain enzymes function. Researchers say it may help control cholesterol and irregular heartbeats. Magnesium may also be helpful in reducing any sort of cramps during pregnancy. This also applies to Calcium. A developing baby needs calcium to build strong bones and teeth; to grow a healthy heart, nerves, and m uscles; and to develop a normal heart rhythm and blood-clotting abilities. If you don't get enough calcium in your diet when you're pregnant, your baby will draw it from your bo nes, which may impair your own health later on. Calcium Intake Chart

6. DHA Docosahexaenoic Acid Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA: DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) is also a important part of direct baby development. this omega-3 fat that are essential in the diet because they can't be produced by the body. This fat help build cells, regulate the nervous system, strengthen the cardiovascular system, build immunity, and help the fetus absorb nutrients. are also vital for healthy brain function and vision. Here is the structure format of DHA.

7. Folic Acid ( Vitamin B9) Mothers can take (Folic Acid) vitamin B9 to help prevent birth defects d uring the first 3-4 weeks of pregnancy. Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects (NTDs). They are serious bi rth defects of the spinal cord and the brain such as spina bifida- incomplete closing of the spine, which causes the s pine to be out of body such as anencephaly- missing parts of the brain and skull Neural tube(spinal cord nerves) defects occur at a very early stage of dev elopment, before many women even know they're pregnant. They affect a bout 3,000 pregnancies a year in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that women who take the recommended daily dose of folic acid starting at least one month before conception and during the first month of pregnancy reduce their baby's risk of neural tube defects by 50% to 70%.

8. Conclusion Thank you for listening! Citations: "Redirect Notice. Blood Cells" Redirect Notice. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2015. "HCG Levels in Early Pregnancy." BabyMed. N.p., 17 Mar. 2007. Web. 23 Mar. 201 5. "Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) (injectable) Medical Facts from Drugs.co m." Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) (injectable) Medical Facts from Drugs. com. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2015. "What Is Pregnyl?" What Is Pregnyl? N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2015. "Eating and Nutrition." Vitamins and Minerals during Pregnancy. N.p., Mar. 2009. Web. 26 Mar. 2015. "Pregnacy- Calcium and Magnesium." BabyCenter. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2015 "Zinc in Your Pregnancy Diet | BabyCenter." BabyCenter. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 20 15. "Why Pregnant Women Need Copper." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, n.d. W eb. 29 Mar. 2015. "Essential Fatty Acids in Your Child's Diet | BabyCenter." BabyCenter. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2015. "Data & Statistics." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30 Oct. 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2015.