Prenatal vitamins are essential for a healthy and happy pregnancy. Upon the advice of your OB/GYN or physician, all pregnant women should take prenatal vitamins to aid in the development and growth of an infant in utero.
Though there are countless options for prenatal vitamins ranging from over the counter to prescription, a doctor can usually recommend a brand or provide samples to help in decision making of which prenatal vitamin to take.
What to Look for
Prenatal vitamins contain all of the essential minerals and vitamins needed to develop a strong and healthy baby. Ingredients to look for in a prenatal vitamin include folic acid, calcium, iron, vitamins A, C, D, E, B1, B2, B6, B12 and minerals such as magnesium, copper, zinc and DHA or Omega 3 oils.
Though all of these vitamins and minerals are important for a healthy pregnancy, perhaps the most important is folic acid, which helps prevent birth defects of the brain and spinal cord. In most cases, taking 800 micrograms of folic acid per day is enough, but pregnant women should consult a physician with questions.
One factor for many women in deciding which prenatal vitamin to buy is price. Over the counter prenatal vitamins contain all of the required dosages and are usually much cheaper than prescription vitamins. However, over the counter prenatal vitamins do not usually contain the necessary DHA or Omega 3 oils.
Prescription prenatal vitamins, while containing all of the necessary requirements, also offer ingredients such as stool softeners to minimize the results that extra iron can cause, such as constipation.
Common Pitfalls
Though prenatal vitamins are an essential part of any pregnancy, some vitamins may tend to increase the nausea accompanied by pregnancy hormones. Generally, women can try taking prenatal vitamins in the evening with dinner to try and minimize the nausea.
Also, many women experience constipation with the use of prenatal vitamins, due to the extra nutrients and iron. Pregnant women many need to increase fiber intake, or add a stool softener (consult with your physician first) to ease these side affects.
Lastly, while many women choose prescription prenatal vitamins, they can be rather costly, especially without health insurance.
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