Should I Take Prenatal Vitamins While Trying To Conceive

June 15, 2022

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Should I Take Prenatals While Trying To Conceive

THINGS (TIPS) WE DID TO GET PREGNANT FAST | PRENATAL VITAMINS FOR TRYING TO CONCEIVE

Asked by: Mrs. Nikita Thiel I

When you decide to try to conceive, it’s a good idea to begin taking a daily prenatal vitamin right away. Ideally you should start prenatal vitamins at least one month before pregnancyand CERTAINLY during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy when baby’s development is at its most critical point.

Are There Any Side Effects Of Taking Prenatal Vitamins I Should Know About

Most of these vitamins are water soluble, meaning youll just pee out any excess, Dr. Ruiz says. There is one exception to this rule, however: iron, which can be toxic in large doses.

Pregnant women need 30 to 60 milligrams of iron each day, according to the guidelines from the World Health Organization . Most prenatal vitamins come fortified with extra iron, so as long as youre sticking to whats in your daily prenatal , youll be fine, Dr. Ruiz says.

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How Do I Choose A Prenatal Vitamin

First, look at whats in it. Ideally, choose a prenatal vitamin that contains micronutrients that are important to promote fetal development and maternal health, says Dr. Samuel. The most famously important of these is folic acid, which reduces the risk of neural tube defects . A 2018 meta-analysis in Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics found that taking folate or folic acid supplements during pregnancy might also lower the risk of preeclampsia, a condition of abnormally high blood pressure which can be risky for the parent and fetus.

The food-based version of folic acid is folate, but supplementation is key during pregnancy because it can be difficult to get enough folate through food. Luckily, youd be hard-pressed to find a prenatal that isnt rich in this nutrient.

Prenatal vitamins with iron are also super important, as iron promotes the health and development of the placenta. You also want ones that are easy on the GI system and affordable, says Dr. Samuel, since youll be taking these every day for at least nine months.

Beyond that? I look specifically for prenatals that contain vitamins A, B, C, D, E, zinc, and iodine, says Dr. Samuel. Get one that contains those, folate, and DHA , and youll be in great shape for your reproductive life.

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The Best Supplements To Take If Youre Trying To Get Pregnant

If youre the type of person whos proactive about your healthand youre strongly considering a babythen youve probably spent some time Googling supplements that will help enhance fertility or that will ensure youre stocked up on the nutrients your baby needs to thrive. But often, these searches result in ultra-long lists of somewhat obscure-sounding nutrients, leaving you wondering: Do I really need all of these? The answer: Everyones different, but you probably dont need to start popping 10 different pills if youre planning to get pregnant.

Here, we consulted fertility and womens health experts about the supplements that are appropriate for most women looking to conceive in the near future, plus tips on the most fertility-friendly diet.

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Milenium Home Tips: Should I Take Prenatal Vitamins Before I Get Pregnant

Beyond fertility supplements, make sure your self-care basics are a priority:

Focus on making sure you are properly hydrated
Aim to get as many nutrients as possible from the food you eat
Sleep for at least seven hours each night.
Set aside time daily to do something you love that gives you a sense of peace, like exercising and/or meditation.

These stress-releasing factors will help you get into alignment, physically and mentally, and help give you the energy needed to create life.

Once pregnant, make sure you see your trusted health care provider to determine exactly what your unique body needs for a healthy pregnancy and joyful baby. Happy conceiving!

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Which Vitamin D Products Do You Recommend

Shady Grove Fertility recommends Theralogix, a line of evidence-based, independently tested and certified fertility products for men and women. All Theralogix products are NSF tested for content accuracy, purity, freedom from contaminants, and proper disintegration.

Nutritional supplements can be an important complement to your fertility treatment but they do not replace fertility evaluation and care. You should have your fertility evaluated if you are under 35 years old and have been having unprotected intercourse without conception for 1 year, after 6 months if you are between the ages of 35-39, and after 3 months if you are 40 and over. Women should consult their reproductive endocrinologist before beginning any vitamin regimen.

Take A Folic Acid Supplement

It’s recommended that you should take a daily supplement of folic acid when you’re pregnant, or there’s a chance you might get pregnant.

You should take a 400 microgram supplement of folic acid every day before you get pregnant, and every day afterwards, up until you’re 12 weeks pregnant.

A microgram is 1,000 times smaller than a milligram . The word microgram is sometimes written with the Greek symbol followed by the letter g .

Folic acid reduces the risk of your baby having a neural tube defect, such as spina bifida.

A neural tube defect is when the foetus’s spinal cord does not form normally.

You might be advised to take a higher dose supplement of 5 milligram every day.

You may need to take a 5mg supplement of folic acid if:

you or the baby’s other biological parent have a neural tube defect
you previously had a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect
you or the baby’s other biological parent have a family history of neural tube defects
you have diabetes
you take anti-epilepsy medicine

Talk to a GP if you think you need a 5mg dose of folic acid, as they can prescribe a higher dose.

You can get folic acid tablets at pharmacies, or talk to a GP about getting a prescription.

Do not worry if you get pregnant unexpectedly and were not taking a folic acid supplement at the time. Start taking them as soon as you find out, until you’re past the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

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Take Vitamins And Folic Acid

Take a vitamin and mineral supplement that includes at least 0.4 milligrams of folic acid.

Folic acid reduces the risk of birth defects, especially problems with the babys spine.
Start taking a vitamin with folic acid before you want to get pregnant.
Avoid high doses of any vitamin, especially vitamins A, D, E, and K. These vitamins can cause birth defects if you take more than the normal recommended daily amounts. Regular pregnancy prenatal vitamins do not have excessively high doses of any vitamin.

How Much Folic Acid Should I Take

Most women are advised to take a 400mcg supplement every day. You can get these from most pharmacies, supermarkets, and health food shops. Your GP may also be able to prescribe them to you.

You can also get folic acid in some pregnancy multivitamin tablets. If you do, make sure the tablet does not contain vitamin A. High doses of vitamin A can cause developmental problems in the first three months of pregnancy.

You can also try to eat foods that contain folate. These include:

broccoli
chickpeas
fortified breakfast cereals.

Eating foods high in folate alone will not be enough to give the best protection to the baby so it is important to take the tablet too.

Can I Take Prenatal Vitamins If I Dont Want To Get Pregnant

Prenatal vitamins are specific to the needs of pregnant and breastfeeding women. Theyre geared to make up the common nutritional deficiencies a pregnant woman could have. But they arent really intended for women who arent expecting or lactating.

Taking too much folic acid each day can have the adverse side effect of masking a vitamin B-12 deficiency. Excess iron can be a problem, too. Getting too much iron is associated with health problems like constipation, nausea, and diarrhea.

Excess amounts of nutrients like vitamin A taken from synthetic vitamins could be toxic to a persons liver.

Again, its better if you get these nutrients through your diet instead of a pill. For these reasons, most women should skip prenatal vitamins unless their doctors tell them otherwise.

What Are Prenatal Vitamins

Prenatal vitamins are supplements that contain daily vitamins and minerals you need before and during your pregnancy.

Folic acid is the most important vitamin to take when planning a pregnancy. Folic acid is a B vitamin that cells in your body need for growing and developing. Taking 400 mcg of folic acid every day for at least 1 month before and during pregnancy can help lower the risk for problems with the babys brain and spine called neural tube defects . Some women, like those who have had a pregnancy affected by NTDs or with sickle cell disease, may need more folic acid. Talk to your doctor or nurse about the dose that is right for you.

Most nutrients should come from the foods you eat, but its also a good idea to take prenatal vitamins. Your nurse, doctor, or midwife can recommend the best vitamins for you, on top of folic acid.

Geritol Vs Prenatal Vitamins

What vitamins should you take to improve female fertility if you are ...

Prenatal vitamins are specifically formulated to meet the needs of pregnant women. Some vitamins and mineralslike folic acid, iron, and calciumare needed in high amounts while pregnant and nursing, and prenatal vitamins provide those supplemental nutrients.

Geritol is a multivitamin designed to meet the needs of adults based on the general recommendations for vitamin and mineral intake. The manufacturer states that their products are not formulated with pregnant womens needs in mind.

Geritol Multivitamin vs. Prenatal Vitamins
Geritol Multivitamin
120 mcg	150 mcg

You could choose to take Geritol as a multivitamin while trying to conceive and during pregnancy, but it hasnt been created for that purpose, so it may not be the best choice.

Discuss with your healthcare provider which supplement would be best to meet your needs to support your health while trying to conceive and during pregnancy.

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Do Prenatals Improve Chances Of Pregnancy And Boost Fertility

Will prenatal vitamins make you more likely to get pregnant? Find out by reading our detailed guide and get tips to improve your chances of conception naturally.

Youve likely already heard a lot about prenatals, and thats because taking a daily prenatal vitamin is so important for your already developing baby. So you know that theyre good for youbut what goes in a prenatal vitamin? And can prenatals improve your chances of getting pregnant?

When To Start Taking Prenatal Multivitamins

Pregnancy can be hard to predict. Its impossible to know whether it will take a month or a year to get pregnantand, oftentimes, someone may not know they’re actually pregnant until a few weeks later.

Because so much of a babys development happens during the early weeks of pregnancy, its important to start taking prenatal multivitamins before trying to get pregnantthree months is a good rule of thumb.

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How Much Folic Acid Do I Need When Im Trying To Conceive

The NHS recommends that you take 400 micrograms of folic acid each day when youre trying to get pregnant. You should keep taking this amount every day until youre 12 weeks pregnant. While youre taking folic acid, you should keep eating foods rich in folate as part of a balanced diet.

Some women who have an increased risk of birth defects will need a higher dose of folic acid, typically 5 milligrams . Your GP will tell you if you need this higher dose.

Are There Any Downsides To Taking A Prenatal Vitamin Early

WHAT PRENATAL VITAMIN IS BEST?

Let’s say you want to get an extra early start on prenatals because you’re really into planning ahead. Are there any risks or side effects associated with that? Nope as long as the nutrient levels in the prenatal, in addition to what you’re already getting from what you eat, are beneath the recommended upper limits for nonpregnant people.*

An important nutrient to look out for when you’re starting prenatals early is iron. High levels of iron, which are often found in prenatals, can cause gastrointestinal side effects like constipation, heartburn, and nausea, as well as inhibit absorption of other nutrients. For many people, balanced levels of a different form of iron can help. Research shows that ferrous fumarate and ferrous sulfate lead to the most GI symptoms, while ferrousbisglycinate leads to the fewest.*

Prenatals will list the exact forms they use of each nutrient on the label, so look for ferrous bisglycinate to be extra easy on your tummy. If you’re meeting the recommended pre-pregnancy daily iron intake of 18 mg through food alone , you can also opt for a prenatal without iron.

Modern Fertility’s Prenatal Multi has ferrous bisglycinate and the iron level set by the FDA for pre-pregnancy to minimize uncomfortable side effects and start taking it early.* The Prenatal Multi also includes vitamin C, a nutrient shown to improve the absorption of any iron you’re already getting.*

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What Happens If You Don’t Take Prenatal Vitamins While Pregnant

What Happens If You Don’t Take Prenatal Vitamins? Taking prenatal vitamins before pregnancy can help prevent miscarriages, defects, and preterm labor. If you’re not taking prenatal vitamins, neural tube defects can appear: Anencephaly: This occurs when the baby’s skull and brain doesn’t form correctly.

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What To Do If You Are Not Ovulating

If you are overweight, losing even 10% of your current weight might be enough to restart ovulation. The most common treatment for anovulation is fertility drugs. 4 Clomid is the first fertility drug that is usually tried. If Clomid does not work, your doctor might want to try other fertility treatments.

Best For Vitamin C: Ralogix D Vitamin For Trying To Conceive

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