What’s A Good Prenatal Vitamin To Take

Other Ways To Boost Fertility

There is good news! About 90% of couples get pregnant within one year of trying, and you could very well be in that 90%. Although, if its taking longer than youd like, or if you or your partner have a family history that could impact your chances of conceiving, there are specialists ready to help you on this journey. Check out our Q& A for some common questions about when to see a fertility specialist.

Helpful tips for improving your chances of conception:

• Figure out when your six-day fertile window is , and have sex in this time period!
• Try to stay within an ideal weight for your height youll have the best chance of conceiving if youre not under or overweight.
• Regular exercisenot vigorous exerciseis a great way to prepare your body for pregnancy.
• Maintain a well-balanced diet.

What Doctors Say About Taking Prenatal Vitamins When You’re Not Pregnant

Anna Chacon, M.D., F.A.A.D., says not so much: “It has long been believed that prenatal vitamins lead to longer, healthier and thicker hair in women, even if they are not pregnant. However, many also forget that during pregnancy, your hair grows faster and thicker as more of your follicles are in the anagen or growth phase. In general, prenatal vitamins won’t help significantly unless you are deficient in those specific vitamins which provide nutrition to the hair follicle. This myth arises because pregnant women who take prenatal vitamins usually have thicker, longer and faster-growing hair due to the hormonal changes in pregnancy which cause an increased blood flow to the hair and nails.”

While it’s tempting to try to approximate the coveted baby-glow without taking the step of an actual pregnancy, it seems that the numbers just don’t add up.

Sharleen St. Surin-Lord, M.D., F.A.A.D., said, “The purpose of prenatal vitamins is to ensure that a growing fetus has all the nutrients it needs to develop well. For example, folic acid is needed for neural tube development. I do not recommend buying prenatal vitamins just to grow hair and nails. Biotin at 5,000 micrograms or 5 milligrams daily is sufficient to strengthen hair and nails and is some benefit. But leave the prenatals to expectant moms.”

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Increase In Risk Of Fracture

The risk of fracture will be invariably increased with intake of prenatal vitamins by men. Men crossing 40 years or 50 years have a good chance of getting fractures due to an accident if the consumption of prenatal vitamin is more. But, you cannot expect the high level of vitamin A in all brands of prenatal vitamins. You must check the label of the supplement if you really wish to consider it for buying. Men should actually not have more than 900 mg of vitamin in diet.

You can now come across many individuals who suffer from fatigue and dizziness due to excess dehydration. This can be due to wider physical strain in such individuals. Parental vitamins will be really effective in this regard. People with cardio vascular disorder also suffers from stroke, tachycardia etc. You can find out more details from the concerned website.

You should consume the prenatal vitamins carefully without taking them in huge quantities. Prenatal vitamins are not absolutely necessary for good health. You should ask your doctor before consuming them so that you are on the safe side and do not face problems while consuming the prenatal vitamins.

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Misconceptions About Prenatal Vitamins

Many women claim that prenatal vitamins affect hair and nail growth. Some claim that taking prenatal vitamins makes hair grow thicker or faster, and that nails could grow faster or stronger too.

But according to the Mayo Clinic, these claims havent been proven. Taking prenatal vitamins for better hair or nails likely wont bring the desired results. They could also have adverse side effects.

Nordic Naturals Prenatal Dha

The makers claim that these vitamins are award-winning and support fetal brain development. They come as soft gel capsules that contain purified deep sea fish oil, from anchovies and sardines, as well as vitamin D3 and rosemary extract. They also contain no gluten, milk derivatives, or artificial colors or flavors.

A person can choose a strawberry-flavored or unflavored product, and the company say that there is no fishy aftertaste.

However, some reviewers say that the aftertaste is an issue, and others have concerns about the quality of these vitamins. However, the reviews are overwhelmingly positive.

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Problem Of Prostate Cancer

Most of the prenatal vitamins contain essential minerals as well as vitamins. Some of the brands also include the omega supplements. Many people are aware of the fact that since Omega 3 is derived from flax oil, this have the maximum chance of getting prostate cancer in men. The particular type of omega 3 is also important to find out so that there are no such complications again.

What Do I Really Need In A Prenatal Vitamin

Sifting through drugstore shelves or Amazon suggestions is super intimidating. And don’t worry, it’s not just youall of those options don’t just start to sound alike, they really are very similar, says Wendy Goodall McDonald, MD, a Chicago-based ob-gyn.

These are the recommended daily amounts of essential nutrients you should be getting when you’re pregnant, and what a basic prenatal should have:

• Folic acid: 400 milligrams
• Vitamin D: 600 international units
• Calcium: 1,000 milligrams
• Iron: 27 milligrams
• Omega-3 fatty acids: 200 milligrams

Other vitamins you should look for in your prenatals:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B12

One thing to note: Getting enough vitamin D is especially important for BIPOC women, as they’re more prone to having a deficiency, says Lucky Sekhon, MD, an ob-gyn, infertility specialist, and reproductive endocrinologist at Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York.

Vitamin D is important for bone health and a healthy pregnancy, and not getting enough has been linked to conditions like preeclampsia and preterm delivery. “Vitamin D is derived from sun exposure and skin absorption, which is limited in melanin-pigmented skin,” says Dr. Sekhon. “The average prenatal vitamin contains 400 IU of vitamin D. A woman whose levels are known to be deficient will require more than this daily amount to replenish it.” If you do need more vitamin D, there are ways to get it from your diet .

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Prenatal Vitamins After Pregnancy

You can continue to take prenatal vitamins after your pregnancy. After giving birth, your body needs help restoring tissues and cells, and prenatal vitamins help with just that. They also support your weakened immune system, help with the massive blood loss, and help with breastfeeding by providing enough calcium and iron.

Your doctor may recommend a separate iron supplement to boost your levels of iron. If that is the case, you will also want to increase your fiber intake or take a stool softener as iron can cause constipation.

Frequently Asked Questionsexpand All

• Birth defects, especially neural tube defects

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Figure Out If You Can Stomach It

Once you choose your prenatal vitamin, you might find you have a tough time stomaching it. The most common reasons :

• If you have trouble swallowing it, look for a pill with a slicker coating. You may want to consider a pill sans calcium, since they tend to be smaller . If you do, be sure to talk to your practitioner to be sure you get enough of this essential mineral in other ways. You might also want to try a chewable or liquid prenatal vitamin .
• If your prenatal vitamin makes you feel nauseous, try taking your vitamin with a meal or snack or right before you go to bed. Still having trouble? Ask your doctor to recommend a different brand that you may be able to stomach better or one with more B6, which can curb nausea and morning sickness.
• If youve got constipation, diarrhea or gas, it could be the extra iron in your pill. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids, eat fiber-rich foods and include regular physical activity in your daily routine. If this doesnt relieve your stomach woes, talk to your doctor about alternatives .

The Benefits Of Prenatal Vitamins

The number one benefit of prenatal vitamins is supporting your babys health. Prenatal vitamins ensure your body has what it needs as your baby grows and develops, filling any gaps that might be in your diet.

Prenatal vitamins lower your babys risk of congenital conditions like spina bifida and developmental conditions like autism. When you take prenatal vitamins throughout pregnancy, they can also help to prevent preterm birth and low birthweight.

Women of reproductive age who are pregnant or considering pregnancy should take prenatal vitamins. If youre thinking about getting pregnant, its a good idea to start a prenatal vitamin regimen before conception. A babys neural tube develops in the first month of pregnancy, and that could be before you even know youre pregnant.

Take the recommended dosage of all vitamins and supplements during pregnancy. Taking more than necessary wont provide extra health benefits, and high doses of certain vitamins can harm your health or your babys.

Taking prenatal vitamins while youre pregnant helps to give your baby the healthiest possible start to life, and its never too early or too late to start. Schedule a prenatal appointment with Dr. Van Kirk at our office in Redding, California, at 530-242-4129, or send us a message online to learn more.

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Deva Vegan Prenatal Multivitamin

If you are a vegetarian or a vegan, it can be especially hard to make sure you are getting the right amount of the essentials for having a healthy baby.

Deva Vegan also includes a number of herbal extracts. Among these are cinnamon, apple pectin, alfalfa leaf, chamomile, rose hips, and acerola extract.

Usually you can assume herbal extracts at least do no harm, but in the case of prenatal vitamins, you should be extra vigilantmany herbal extracts are poorly understood and not well-studied, so their effects on your babys health are unknown.

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

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Essential Nutrients To Look For

With a nutritious diet, you should already be getting a lot of the vitamins and minerals necessary during pregnancywhich means that you shouldnt have to depend on your prenatal vitamin to provide 100 percent of the daily recommended allowance for these nutrients. Prenatal vitamins also arent legally required to provide a minimum level of those nutrients either, since they arent regulated by the FDA. The doses may vary, but the key ingredients wont vary drastically, Twogood says.

So what should the best prenatal vitamins include? The most important nutrient in a prenatal vitamin, according to Twogood, is folic acid, which has been shown to dramatically decrease the risk of neural tube defects like spina bifida. Make sure the label includes folic acid as well as these other key nutrients. Aim for the minimum levels listed here, but if your vitamin falls short, get the rest from your diet.

Folic acid: Look for a minimum of 400 micrograms, though Twogood recommends a slightly higher dose of 800 micrograms or 1 milligram for overweight or obese patients.

Iron: Iron helps carry oxygen to your organs and tissues, and during pregnancy you need an extra dose for a total of 27 milligrams a day, which is present in most prenatal vitamins, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists .

What Goes In A Prenatal Vitamin

Most high-quality prenatals will include folate, iron, calcium, vitamin D, DHA, and iodine.

• Folate: The CDC recommends folate specifically to women of reproductive age to prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
• Iron: Iron is important for making the extra red blood cells youll need for pregnancy and can decrease the chances of complications such as low birth weight and preterm delivery.
• Calcium: Calcium and vitamin D are helpful for building strong bones and teeth for you and your baby.
• DHA: Finally, DHA is a building block of your baby’s developing nervous system.This omega-3 fatty acid can be found in fish and in omega-3 fortified foods like eggs and dairy.
• Choline: Most prenatals lack choline. But growing evidence of its benefits shows choline improves several pregnancy outcomes and protects against certain neural and metabolic disorders.

When youre on your TTC journey, its important to consume enough of these nutrients to meet your recommended daily allowance . This ensures both mom and baby have what they need for a healthy pregnancy. Natalists prenatal provides comprehensive prenatal nutrition that meets or exceedsACOG‘s recommendations for pregnancy.

Shop the Natalist Prenatal for her

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Treat Your Body Like The Temple It Is

While supplements may be helpful in cases of extreme nutritional deprivation the best way to lay the foundation for healthy hair growth is to take the holistic approach and not take prenatals.

• Eat as though you were eating to nourish a precious life within your body, even if you aren’t. If you eat a very restricted diet, including trendy fasting, know that it probably is affecting your hair.

New Chapter Perfect Prenatal

New chapter perfect prenatal is a Whole-food multi-vitamin. This promotes healthy pregnancy and fetal development. This helps in easy digestion, when taken on an empty stomach. This supplement is certified organic and Non-GMO verified. This contains class 1 herbs with live probiotics. It includes organic kale, organic broccoli and other organic cruciferous sprouts for healthy estrogen levels and metabolism.

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Are There Any Side Effects To Taking Prenatal Vitamins

Since the vitamins in these supplements are water-soluble, you’ll simply pee away any excess. The only nutrient contained in these vitamins that you need to be concerned about taking too much of is iron but when a prenatal vitamin contained iron, it’s a balanced amount. According to the Mayo Clinic, pregnant women should get 30 mg per day. If you’re anemic, discuss with your doctor whether you need to supplement this.

Diet Standards Prenatal Dha

This is not a multivitamin, but a specially formulated omega-3 supplement, which a person can take with a multivitamin.

The supplement is algae-based, 100% vegan, and free from gluten, soy, and sugar. Every batch is lab-tested by a third party for purity, potency, microbial contents, and heavy metals, the makers say.

Online reviewers compliment the supplement and the companys professionalism, while others express concern over the quality of the product on delivery.

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Best Time To Take B Vitamins

The best time to take B vitamins is after you wake up. Theres also some data suggesting that taking vitamin B in the afternoon can affect your sleep. To avoid a B-complex affecting your sleep, you should take your B vitamins in the morning, preferably with a meal to maximize their absorption. Its safe to take several B vitamins all at once.

Nature Made Prenatal Multi

A good daily prenatal vitamin should contain the above nutrients, but it should also have at least 200 mg of DHA, an omega 3 fatty acid commonly found in fish. Some experts believe supplementing zinc and magnesium can reduce risks of complications during pregnancy. All of these ingredients can be found in Nature Made’s Prenatal Multi Plus DHA softgels, which you can buy at most grocery and drug stores at an affordable price.

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