Possible Prenatal Vitamins Side Effects
The iron in prenatals can cause constipation, and you may also have low appetite, stomach cramps, dark stools, and diarrhea. You can ease your symptoms by:
- Drinking a lot of fluids.
- Eating more food rich in fiber.
- Getting more physical activity.
Other prenatal vitamins side effects that can appear include:
- Back pain.
- Hives.
- Teeth staining.
Let your doctor know if you are taking pain relievers, heart medications, high blood pressure pills, sulfamethoxazole, or diuretics, as these can have negative interactions with prenate pills. Your healthcare provider can advise you on when to start taking prenatal vitamins.
Now, we can move on to the next section: Do prenatals help you get pregnant? where we will address the following question: Do prenatal vitamins make you fertile? and also discuss when to start taking prenatals.
Do I Need To Take Supplements
It’s recommended that all pregnant women in Australia take folic acid and iodine supplements.
However, it’s better to get the other nutrients you need from a healthy diet rather than from supplements. In most cases, eating a variety of nutritious foods should meet both your needs and those of your baby. Check the Australian Dietary Guidelines for more advice.
If you have a known deficiency, your doctor might advise you to take a supplement. For example:
- if you are vegetarian or vegan and not getting adequate vitamin B12
- if you don’t consume enough dairy foods and are not getting much calcium, which is vital for bone health
- if you have a vitamin D deficiency
If you’re not sure whether you need a supplement, talk to your doctor.
Prenatal Vitamins And Fertility
Eating a healthy diet will give you most of the vitamins you need. There are times, though, when you might not be getting everything you need. The birth control pill, for example, causes lower vitamin levels and you might need to take a multivitamin to replenish your body as you prepare for pregnancy.
It’s also generally recommended to take a prenatal vitamin if you plan to get pregnant. It should have:
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If You Still Have A Negative Result
Sometimes, life doesnt go according to plan. You might try to get pregnant for a long time and keep getting disappointing results from pregnancy tests. You might wonder whether youre trying the right sex positions for conception, or if it just isnt meant to be.
Many people have to try for several months before getting a positive pregnancy test result.
If you think your partner may have some fertility issues or health concerns, you still have several options for growing your family.
Other Supplements For When Youre Trying To Conceive
Eating a healthy, varied and balanced diet means you shouldnt need to take any supplements other than folic acid and vitamin D before or during your pregnancy.
However, if you cant get the right foods in your diet, you might end up short on key nutrients like iron, vitamin C and calcium. In this case, your GP might advise that you bulk out your diet with certain foods:
- Iron can be found in red meat, kidney beans, chickpeas, nuts, dried fruit and fortified breakfast cereal
- Vitamin C can be found in citrus fruit, peppers, strawberries, blackcurrants, broccoli and potatoes
- Calcium can be found in milk, cheese, yoghurt, spinach, and fortified foods and drinks
It might also help to take supplements for these nutrients, particularly if youre finding it hard to get everything you need through your diet.
If youre taking supplements, just make sure you dont have more than the recommended daily dose, unless told otherwise by your GP:
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Vitamin D In Pregnancy
You need 10 micrograms of vitamin D each day and should consider taking a supplement containing this amount between September and March.
Vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. Our bodies make vitamin D when our skin is exposed to summer sunlight .
It’s not known exactly how much time is needed in the sun to make enough vitamin D to meet the body’s needs, but if you’re in the sun take care to cover up or protect your skin with sunscreen before you start to turn red or burn.
Vitamin D is also in some foods, including:
- oily fish
- eggs
- red meat
Vitamin D is added to some breakfast cereals, fat spreads and non-dairy milk alternatives. The amounts added to these products can vary and might only be small.
Because vitamin D is only found in a small number of foods, whether naturally or added, it is difficult to get enough from foods alone.
Do not take more than 100 micrograms of vitamin D a day as it could be harmful.
You can get vitamin supplements containing vitamin D free of charge if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding and qualify for the Healthy Start scheme.
Vegetarian Vegan And Special Diets In Pregnancy
A varied and balanced vegetarian diet should provide enough nutrients for you and your baby during pregnancy.
But you might find it more difficult to get enough iron and vitamin B12.
Talk to a midwife or doctor about how to make sure you’re getting enough of these important nutrients.
If you’re vegan or you follow a restricted diet because of a food intolerance or for religious reasons, talk to a midwife or GP.
Ask to be referred to a dietitian for advice on how to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need for you and your baby.
Find out more about healthy eating if you’re pregnant and vegetarian or vegan.
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Are Prenatal Vitamins The Secret To Better Hair And Skineven If You’re Not Pregnant
Some women claim that taking prenatal vitamins when they’re not pregnant improves hair growth and gives them shinier, healthier strands. But is it safe to take these nutrient-packed pills when you’re not expecting? We asked experts to weigh in.
It’s no secret that prenatal vitamins are packed with a slew of essential nutrients like folic acid, iron, calcium, vitamin D, and others that help support baby’s development and protect against or birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord, called neural tube defects. But could they also deliver an admittedly less important but still appealing perk for non-pregnant womenlonger, faster-growing hair and smoother skin?
Recently, it seems like everyone I talk to is taking prenatal vitamins for the beauty benefits. The trend appears to have gotten Hollywood’s stamp of approval, too. A quick Google search confirms that LeAnn Rimes, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Mindy Kaling all swear by prenatals for red carpet-ready strands. ” will not only scare your boyfriend, will make your hair grow faster, thicker, and keep your skin glow-y and smooth,” Kaling said a few years ago.
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But other experts we spoke to warned against taking these pills when you’re not trying to conceive.
“Taking more iron than you need all the time can lead to constipation, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or worse,” says Cynthia Sass, RD, MPH, Health‘s contributing nutrition editor.
How Much Folic Acid Should I Take
Most healthy women should supplement their diet with 0.4 mg of folic acid daily. You can usually find it in a daily multivitamin.
Some women may need a higher daily supplement. These are women who:
- have a family history of NTDs ,
- have diabetes, epilepsy, advanced liver disease or inflammatory bowel disease,
- have had gastric by-pass surgery,
- have a history of over-use of alcohol, or
- have had a previous liveborn or stillborn infant with a NTD.
If you are not certain which dose you need, talk to your doctor.
If you are already pregnant, it is a good idea to keep taking a multivitamin with folic acid throughout your pregnancy.
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Supplements All Women Trying To Get Pregnant Should Take
A prenatal vitamin should be taken before you become pregnant, not just when you find out that you are having a baby. Along with prenatal vitamins, there are additional supplements that may improve your fertility health and help with conception. But it is best to start taking supplements a few months or more before conception, since it may take a few months to get their full benefits. There are so many supplements available. But to keep things simple, here are six that have the best chance of giving your fertility a boost and increase your chance of having a baby.
Co Enzyme Q 10:
Is the source of fuel for mitochondria and is needed for the basic functioning of cells. Our recommendation: If you are up to 37 years old take 200-400 mg and if you are over 37 years old take 400-600 mg.
Vitamin D3
Studies have shown that despite taking a prenatal vitamin, women were still low in Vitamin D. There is typically not enough Vitamin D added to a prenatal pill so it is important to check. Low Vitamin D levels in early life is linked to schizophrenia, diabetes and skeletal disease. Appropriate levels of Vitamin D intake can prevent or reduce depression, dementia, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders. Our recommendation: Take 2,000-3,000 IU daily.
Folic Acid:
Selenium:
Preliminary studies have shown that this supplement may help prevent miscarriage. Selenium is an antioxidant and protects cells from damage. Our recommendation: Take 200 mg daily.
Vitamin E:
Herbs:
Prenatal Vitamins Vs Fertility Supplements
Prenatal vitamins are taken during pregnancy to support the growth and development of a fetus in the womb. Prenatal vitamins dont improve fertilitythats not what theyre intended to do. While prenatals are recommended for IVF patients, thats because its best to start them about 3 months prior to pregnancy, and IVF patients are typically hoping to get pregnant within that time frame.
PS: The most important ingredient in prenatal vitamins is folic acid or folate, which has been shown in many, many studies to prevent fetal neural tube defects which can be devastating. The reason neural tube defects are so rare in the developed world is almost exclusively due to the widespread use of prenatal vitamins along with folate enrichment in foods like bread and cereal.
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The Importance Of Prenatal Nutrition
Meeting your daily nutrient needs during pregnancy is necessary to keep up with your rapidly changing maternal metabolism.
Of course, maternal nutrition is essential for healthy fetal growth and development. In fact, theres growing research that suggests the effects of prenatal nutrition can trickle into adulthood.
For that reason, its important to learn about necessary vitamins for pregnant women, as well as additional supplement and macronutrient needs.
What To Do When Trying To Conceive
If you’re pregnant or trying to conceive, you should avoid smoking or drinking alcohol. Smoking and drinking can have harmful effects on your unborn baby and can also affect your chances of conception
If you’re trying to get pregnant, it’s best to maintain a healthy weight in order to reduce the chances of pregnancy complications. A persons weight is generally considered healthy when their BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. It’s been found that having a BMI of over 30 can decrease a person’s chances of becoming pregnant
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Try Not To Worry Too Much
Studies show that extreme stress can lower your chances of getting pregnant by causing hormone levels to go haywire and decreasing cervical mucus. Were talking about high anxiety here not run-of-the-mill frustrations like a demanding boss or tantrum-ing toddler.
But even if youre not at freak-out levels, it cant hurt to keep your nerves in check by avoiding work overloads, hitting a yoga or Zumba class, listening to music or venting to your partner or a sympathetic pal. Another plus to finding time for R& R now: Once you do make and deliver a baby, me time will be a whole lot harder to nab.
Do Prenatal Vitamins Have Side Effects
A lot of people wonder about about prenatal vitamins side effects. Some people get nauseated or constipated from taking prenatal vitamins. If this happens to you, talk with your doctor about changing brands or the types of vitamins youre taking.
Prenatal vitamins come in tablets or capsules, so finding the kind that works best with your body can help ease side effects. Your doctor or midwife can help you find a prenatal vitamin that will work best for your body.
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I Have Morning Sickness And Struggle To Take My Prenatal Vitamin What Should I Do
Sometimes morning sickness is a problem with prenatal vitamins. If you find that your stomach is upset when you take the vitamins, try a different time of day or a different prenatal vitamin. You can also cut them in half and take half in the morning and the other half at night. Try taking the vitamin with food to decrease stomach upset.
Prenatal vitamins are essential to ensure you are meeting your nutrition needs and the needs of the growing baby. Morning sickness is typically at its peak in the first trimester when key nutrients are crucial to a baby’s development. Speak with your health care provider to find a solution that will work for you.
Supplements To Take During Pregnancy
In addition to the vitamins and nutrients discussed above, here are two of the best supplements to take while pregnant.
OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
Doctors will often encourage their pregnant patients to take a fish oil supplement. Heres why.
Why theyre important: Omega-3 fatty acid stores tend to deplete quickly throughout pregnancy. Fortunately, omega-3 fatty acids provide DHA, one of its most biologically active acids.
DHA can help ease the risk for an early preterm birth . Additionally, low DHA levels can influence changes in brain function. Consequently, this can lead to genetic variations, decreased learning abilities, and impaired vision.
The benefits of taking omega-3 fatty acid extend to postnatal nutrition, too. Researchers suggest that rapid depletion of fatty acids during pregnancy and breastfeeding can contribute to the baby blues. In turn, taking this healthy omega can have a positive influence on maternal well-being.
Food sources of omega-3 fatty acids include:
- cold-water fish
- seeds
- plant oils
The ACOG recommends that pregnant and breastfeeding women eat at least two servings of fish or shellfish per week. However, pay special attention to avoid raw or undercooked fish. Additionally, you should also avoid fish with high mercury levels while pregnant.
That said, talk to your doctor about incorporating a high-quality fish oil supplement into your prenatal plan if you suspect youre getting enough DHA.
PROBIOTICS
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How Do Nutrients Influence Fertility
The place of nutrients in ensuring that you get pregnant cannot be overemphasized. Nutrients play an important role in keeping you healthy. Poor health reduces your chances of fertility.
Did you know that certain nutrients help to improve ovulatory function in women? You must have heard of vitamins to help ovulation. Such nutrients indirectly affect your chances of getting pregnant.
We all know that even though nutrients are very important, they are not all-encompassing. Many other factors affect ovulation and getting pregnant. Most of these stem from leading a healthy lifestyle.
For example, being underweight or overweight may cause menstrual disorders. Such disorders could result in a break in the womans ovulation. As you know, if a woman doesnt ovulate, she cannot get pregnant.
As you continue reading, we will discuss certain things you should be aware of regarding vitamins and other nutrients. These will be instrumental in helping you get pregnant.
When Should I Start Taking Prenatal Vitamins
Ideally, you would begin taking prenatal vitamins a few months before you wanted to try to conceive. Taking them once you stop using birth control and begin to try in earnest would be beneficial. However, about half of all pregnancies are unplanned. This is why folic acid, specifically, and a multi-vitamin, in general, is recommended for all women of childbearing age, even when they are not trying to get pregnant.
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Prenatal Vitamin Side Effects
Some prenatal vitamins can cause nausea in an already nauseated pregnant woman. If that happens to you, talk to your health care provider. They may be able to prescribe a different kind of prenatal vitamin that you dont have to swallow whole. Options include:
- Chewables
- Liquids
The iron in prenatal vitamins may also make you constipated. If youre constipated it can help to:
- Eat a high-fiber diet
- Exercise if your doctor says its safe for you
- Take a stool softener with your doctors OK
Folic Acid Calcium Iodine And Iron
Folic acid
If getting pregnant is a possibility for you, you should take folic acid. It can prevent birth defects that affect the babys brain and spinal cord. Neural tube defects develop early in pregnancy, before many women know theyre pregnant half of all pregnancies are unplanned. This is why doctors recommend that any woman who could get pregnant take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily, starting before conception and continuing for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
If youve had a baby with a neural tube defect you should talk with your health care provider about folic acid. Studies have shown that taking a larger dose at least one month before and during the first trimester may help if youve had a baby with this defect. But talk to your doctor about whats right for you.
Foods that have folic acid include:
Iron
Iron helps your body make more blood red cells. These blood cells carry oxygen to the baby that it needs to develop.
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