Appeton Natal Care C18 is a dietary supplement especially for pregnant and lactating women. This supplement contains essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, E, D3, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, calcium, folic acid, iron, copper, iodine, magnesium, zinc, pantothenic acid and nicotinamide.

Appeton Natal Care C18 comes in maroon coloured capsules.

Appeton Natal Care C18 is available in blister packs containing 30 capsules.

There is no "Halal" certificate granted for any pharmaceutical products. The only animal source in this product is the hard gelatine capsule that is made from pharmaceutical grade bovine gelatine (bone and skin of calves). These capsules have been certified fit for Muslim consumption by IFANCA (Islamic Food And Nutrition Council of America) and have been acknowledged by the Malaysian Islamic Centre.

You only need to take a capsule a day, or as directed by physician.

There is no ideal time to take Appeton Natal Care C18. But preferably make it a habit to take after meals. This is to make sure that you remember taking it everyday.

Ovulation occurs about 14 days before the start of the next menstrual flow, for example, day 16 of a 30-day cycle. This is medically referred to as the ovulation period, whereby women are most fertile. During ovulation, the ovum is released into the uterus for fertilisation; at the same time, the hormonal system prepares the uterus for the possibility of pregnancy. If fertilisation doesn't occur, the lining of the uterus, which has been enriched with blood and tissue to receive the fertilised egg, breaks away as menstrual flow. If the egg and a sperm cell do meet, the fertilised egg embeds itself in the uterine lining and continues the remarkable process of growth and development that, if all proceeds normally, will culminate in the birth of a healthy baby.

Pregnancy can be diagnosed about 2 weeks after conception, which is about the day that your period is expected, though you are more likely to get accurate results if you wait at least another 3-4 days. When pregnancy occurs, the embryo releases the human chorionic gonadotrophin hormone (HCG) into your bloodstream. This hormone also spills over into your urine and can be detected with a pregnancy test kit.

You should contact your physician as soon as you suspect or know that you are pregnant. They will schedule a visit for somewhere between 6 and 8 weeks after your last menstrual period. In the meantime, you will be advised to start taking pre-natal vitamins. In the early months of pregnancy, one visit per month is usually adequate. During the last half, visits will be increased to every 2-3 weeks, and every week for the final month.

Using the following formula, you can estimate the date that your baby is due:
1. add 7 days to the 1st day of your last menstrual period
2. subtract 3 months and add 1 year
Example:
     The 1st day of A's last menstrual period -> 3rd Dec 2001
     Add 7 days to 3rd Dec 2001 -> 10th Dec 2001
     Subtract 3 months & add 1 year -> 10th Sept 2002
     Therefore, A's baby is due on the 10th Sept 2002
This formula assumes that the woman has a 28-day cycle and that the pregnancy occurred on day 14. Research shows that only 4-10% women deliver on their due date. The majority will deliver in the period extending from 7 days before to 7 days after the due date.

Your baby depends on what you eat and drink for adequate nourishment in the uterus. Appetite cravings in pregnant women usually reflect changes in nutritional needs. Such changes are partly due to the nourishment demands of the foetus and also to other physiological variations that affect absorption and metabolism of nutrients. These changes assist in the normal development of the baby and fill the subsequent demands of lactation or nursing. Changes in nutritional needs appear to be related to the body's adaptation to pregnancy because the changes occur too early to be responding solely to foetal needs. Such changes include a reduction of electrolytes, proteins, glucose, vitamin B12, B6, folate, and a rise in lipids, triglycerides and cholesterol in blood. Pregnant women require different amounts of iron, folic acid, sodium and sugar intake. The consequences of maternal malnourishment may include health problems for the mother and also the infant -where the majority of low birth weight babies have nutritional and other deficiencies.

Pregnancy doubles a woman's need for folate. You can get extra folate by eating more green leafy vegetables, certain fruits, liver and other organ meats but need to do so even before becoming pregnant. Severe folate deficiency can result in a condition called megaloblastic anaemia, which occurs most often in the late trimester, and may threaten the foetus. The foetus may also experience neural defects as folic acid is important in the development of her neural tube. It is now recommended that all women of reproductive age should consume adequate amounts of folic acid even before pregnancy.

Other dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese, sardines, soybeans and dark green leafy vegetables such as kale are good sources of calcium.

If a woman's calorie intake is restricted in pregnancy, she may not get enough nutrients to adequately nourish her unborn child. Low-calorie intake can result in a breakdown of fat in the mother, leading to the production of ketones in her blood and urine. The production of ketones is a sign of starvation. Chronic ketones production can result in a mentally retarded child. For these reasons, the National Academy of Sciences recommends that pregnant women eat an average of 150 calories more per day (an 8-ounce glass of low-fat milk) in the 1st trimester and 350 calories more per day (a turkey-and-Swiss-cheese sandwich) in the two subsequent trimesters than they did before pregnancy. A total weight gain of about 11-14kg (25-30lb) pounds is usually recommended, with the actual pattern of gain considered more important than the number of pounds. Weight gain should be at its lowest during the 1st trimester, and should steadily increase, with the mother-to-be gaining the most weight in her 3rd trimester, when the foetus and placenta are growing the most.

The National Academy of Sciences recommends a weight gain of 11-16kg (25-35lb) for women of normal weight, 13-18kg (28-40lb) for underweight women, and 7-11kg (15-25lb) for overweight women. The recommended total weight gain for twin pregnancy is 16-20kg (34-45lb).
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends an increase of 1-2kg (3-4lb) in the 1st trimester and 1-2 kg (3-4lb) per month during the rest of the pregnancy. Approximately 3-4 kg (6-8lb) of the total weight is the baby, and the remaining weight consists of an increased fluid volume, larger breast and uterus, amniotic fluid and placenta.

During pregnancy, fat deposits may increase by more than a third the total amount a woman had before she became pregnant. Most women lose this extra weight in the birth process or within several weeks thereafter. Breast-feeding helps to deplete the fat deposited during pregnancy. A woman who breast-feeds expends 600-800 more calories than one who doesn't. She will also have an increased need for specific nutrients.

Experts have varying opinions on their recommendations for exercise during pregnancy. The amount of exercise that a pregnant woman can comfortably and safely carry out is usually related to what she has been accustomed to before pregnancy. During any form of exercise, it is especially important for a pregnant woman to 'listen to her body' and rest when tiredness sets in, or stop exercising during any routine that causes pain or strain. Activities that involve sudden and excessive jolting motions, along with those that impose a danger in falling are best avoided, especially as the abdomen enlarges.

Nausea in early pregnancy is common and often can be managed nutritionally by:
1. eating small frequent meals
2. taking easily digested carbohydrate foods
3. drinking fluids between meals, and not with meals
4. avoiding greasy, fried or very spicy food

It is wisest to take the fewest possible medications during pregnancy. Drugs are capable of crossing the placenta and thus harming the baby. The best is to use drugs only if there are no other alternatives. When in doubt, check with your physician or pharmacist.

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy has been linked to birth defects, but it is not yet known how much alcohol increases the risk. For this reason, pregnant women are discouraged from consuming any alcohol during pregnancy.

Caffeine is a stimulant found in colas, coffee, tea, soft candies, chocolate, cocoa, and over-the-counter and prescription drugs. A study on pregnant rats indicated birth defects and delayed skeletal development in their offspring. Another study on women in Costa Rica, where coffee consumption is high, showed a significantly lower birth weight for infants and a lower concentration of iron in mothers who were coffee drinkers. This report indicated that maternal coffee intake may also contribute to maternal and infant anaemia.
Large quantities of caffeine can cause irritability, nervousness and insomnia. In addition to crossing the placenta and affecting the foetus, it is also diuretic, dehydrating the mother's body of valuable water. After the baby is born, caffeine can also be transmitted through breast milk. As mentioned, caffeine is an ingredient in some over-the-counter and prescription drugs. Consult your physician before taking any drugs.

Numerous studies have shown that artificial sweeteners, such as those used in diet sodas, yoghurt and other foods, are safe for pregnant women and their babies. However, it is important to avoid filling up on artificial sweetened beverages, especially if they are taking the place of milk and other more nutritious beverages.

Smoking can cause significant damage to women's reproductive system. Nicotine crosses the placenta readily and interferes with oxygen supply to the foetus. Nicotine can also be transmitted through breast milk. Carbon monoxide, another ingredient of tobacco smoke, has been shown to inhibit the release of oxygen into foetal tissues. Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk for miscarriage, premature delivery, low-birth-weight delivery, stillbirth and infant with birth defects.

A well-planned vegetarian diet can easily provide enough protein. With careful planning, adequate supply of protein is also possible in strict vegans. Animal proteins are called 'complete protein' as they contain all the essential amino acids. Soy protein (soybeans, tofu, soy milk) is also a complete protein. Most plant foods contain incomplete protein, as they are low in one or more essential amino acids.
For example, legumes have low levels of methionine. Cereals and grains are low in a different amino acid, lysine. Combining different vegetarian protein sources, such as eating grains with legumes will result in complete protein with all the essential amino acids. Beans and rice are complementary proteins and combining these two provides a high quality protein.

Vegetable sources of iron (non-heme iron) are not absorbed as well as heme iron which is found in animal products. Iron absorption can be increased by eating a vitamin C rich food at the same meal. Tea contains tannin that can inhibit iron absorption and should not be taken with meals. Vegetarian diets can provide a good supply of iron with proper planning, but most pregnant women also require additional iron supplement.

Vitamin B12 is found only in animal products including dairy products and eggs. It is important for strict vegans (exclude dairy products and eggs) to incorporate some B12 fortified foods in their diet. This vitamin is added to yeast extracts, soy milks and some breakfast cereals. They can also opt for vitamin B12 supplement.

During pregnancy, the high level of your body hormones lessens the normal daily hair loss. A few months after delivery, mothers may have increased hair loss. This is again due to the changes of the body hormones such as progesterone and estrogen. The hair you're losing is only equivalent to the hair you would have shed during pregnancy. Generally, the sudden change in hair volume is temporary. Yes, you can take Appeton Natal Care C18 during postpartum period. In fact, you have to take a good care of your diet especially on iron and calcium intake to prevent nutrient deficiency.

You can start to take Appeton Natal Care C18 once you get pregnant. You can continue taking it until you deliver and even better when you are breastfeeding your baby.

No. Although Appeton Natal Care C18 is a dietary supplement contains essential vitamins and minerals for pregnant women, it does not contain protein, carbohydrate and energy. Protein is very important to pregnant women and for the growth of fetus. For pregnant women who have lactose intolerance or can't take milk powder, soymilk is a good source of protein. However, you must also maintain your daily food intake as the main source of vitamins and minerals.