Pregnancy is the period during which the mother shows great interest in the slightest details of her diet and lifestyle, as she is not only working on maintaining her health, but also for the health of her fetus, because his nutritional status depends on what she eats. Therefore, the lack of any of the essential nutrients in the mother's diet can expose the mother to many disorders that will reflect on the health of the fetus, leading to an increase in the possibility of deformities or complications during and after childbirth. For this reason, pregnancy is often a period when the use of nutritional supplements becomes very common and important.

Vitamin K2 is one of these most important nutritional supplements, as it not only protects against bone and dental problems that are common during pregnancy, but also protects against the possibility of bleeding in newborns that may lead to their death. 

This is in addition to many other health benefits...

How important is vitamin K2 supplements for the health of the mother and the fetus?

This is what we will talk about in today's article:

1. What is Vitamin K2?
2. Benefits of Vitamin K2 for a pregnant woman
3. Signs and Symptoms of vitamin K2 deficiency
4. Vitamin K2 deficiency bleeding in newborns
5. Vitamin K2 dietary sources
6. Best dietary supplement for vitamin K2

1. What is Vitamin K2?

Since its discovery in the 1920s, scientists have unanimously agreed on its importance for the natural blood clotting process, as it activates proteins that play a role in regulating this process, and with time more of its benefits were discovered, it helps build bones and teeth, in addition to its benefits for the Cardiovascular health, and its benefits in preventing premature aging, Alzheimer's and cancer.

Vitamin K2 is a member of the vitamin K group (vitamin K1 and vitamin K2), and it is one of the fat-soluble vitamins, and perhaps unlike the naturalness of fat-soluble vitamins, the body cannot store it adequately in fat cells and cannot synthesize it too. That is why Vitamin K2 deficiency is expected, especially with an unbalanced diet.

2. Benefits of Vitamin K2 for a pregnant woman

Vitamin K2 has many health benefits that many do not know about, and it is one of the important vitamins during pregnancy, which means that it is safe for the health of the fetus and its physical and mental development, so learn with us about some of its benefits that support your pregnancy:

• Maintaining healthy bones and teeth

A pregnant woman may suffer from calcium deficiency, a mineral which is included in the formation of the skeleton and the teeth of the fetus, and here comes the importance of vitamin K2, which works on increasing calcium metabolism to improve its absorption in the body so that the fetus gets his needs and the mother gets her own, in addition to that It also helps in the deposition of calcium in the bones and teeth by activating the proteins responsible for this process, which protects the mother from osteoporosis and dental problems during pregnancy and ensures the healthy growth of the bones and teeth of the fetus after birth.

• Reducing pregnancy’s morning sickness 

Women during pregnancy may suffer from some annoying morning symptoms such as vomiting, nausea and the inability to eat, and most likely, the presence of these symptoms may express a deficiency in vitamin K2. Therefore, studies have worked on proving that pregnant women, who took vitamin K2 supplements on a daily basis, had significant improvement in these symptoms in a short time.

• Promoting healthy skin

Vitamin K2 helps women maintain the luster of their skin, which may be affected by pregnancy fatigue, and also helps prevent the appearance of wrinkles, because it prevents the calcification of elastin in the skin, which is responsible for its elasticity and softness, and works to treat scars and unify the color of the skin, and reduce the appearance of stretch marks during Pregnancy, in addition to treating dark circles under the eyes.

• Prevention of high blood pressure

Vitamin K2 prevents calcium from being deposited in the blood vessels, which reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure during pregnancy.

• Reducing blood sugar

Studies have confirmed that taking vitamin K2 as a dietary supplement or through one of its food sources helps reduce blood sugar levels, especially in type 2 diabetes patients, by increasing the body's sensitivity to the hormone insulin and reducing its resistance.

• Prevention of depression

Vitamin K2 works to prevent depression indirectly, by lowering blood sugar levels, because high sugar levels are associated with increased anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairment.

• Cancer prevention

Vitamin K2 helps prevent cancer, because it is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from oxidizing factors, and research has confirmed that vitamin K2 may prevent the emergence of genetic factors that help in the growth of tumors and prevent their inheritance.

3. Signs and Symptoms of vitamin K2 deficiency

There are several symptoms that appear on an individual, through which a deficiency in vitamin K2 can be predicted, and these symptoms include the following:

• Heavy bleeding from simple cuts or injections
• Frequent bleeding (bleeding gums and nose)
• Heavy menstruation
• Bruising Easily
• Osteoporosis and delayed fracture healing
• Weak and sensitive teeth
• Blood in the urine or stool

4. Vitamin K2 deficiency bleeding in newborns

A mother with Vitamin K2 deficiency gives birth to a newborn with the same deficiency, which may expose him at birth to a state of excessive bleeding that is likely to threaten his life, due to the main and essential role of vitamin K2 in regulating blood clotting.

This condition may begin early in the first 24 hours of birth, or within 2-7 days, and in some cases it may not appear until within two weeks, and its appearance may even extend till after 6 months of birth.

This made the prediction of the exact timing of the problem’s occurrence difficult, and for this reason, a preventive injection of vitamin K2 was added to the necessary medical procedures for newborns immediately after birth.

Some signs may indicate a vitamin K2 deficiency in a newborn over time:

• Low weight compared to age
• Slow weight gain
• The emergence of external or internal bleeding (bruising) in some areas:
  • The navel
  • Gums
  • Nose
  • Penis
  • Places where vaccinations were injected

5. Vitamin K2 dietary sources

After learning about the importance of vitamin K2 for the mother and her fetus, it became necessary to add its sources to the diet to prevent health problems.

Vitamin K2 is found in the following food sources:

• Eggs
• Liver
• Beef
• Fatty fish
• Chicken
• Dairy products (yogurt, curd)
• Fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, Japanese natto 'soybeans'

6. Best dietary supplement for vitamin K2

MENA Q

MENA Q is the number 1 and only product in Egypt containing vitamin K2 that improves the health of women, especially during pregnancy, and it also works on protecting fetuses from skeletal and dental disorders.

What is the concentration and dose of MENA Q?

Mena Q contains vitamin K2 at a concentration of 45 μg, which is a sufficient dose to improve health and give the person the desired therapeutic effect.

• Dosage: one tablet (to swallow) a day, regularly.
• Age: suitable for ages 10 and above
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: MENA Q is completely safe during pregnancy and lactation, and has no side effects.

 What is the price of MENA Q?

MENA Q contains 20 small easy-to-swallow tablets at a price of 95 pounds, available in all pharmacies in the Arab Republic of Egypt.

*This article was written by an integrated medical team affiliated with Devart Lab, the leading company in the field of Nutraceuticals in Egypt and the Middle East (Nutrigenomics and Food Fortification), by providing nutrients that are fortified with minerals and vitamins that the body needs on a daily basis to obtain effective results in the least possible time. By using the latest pharmaceutical technologies that ensure full absorption without any side effects.