Physicians recommend prenatal vitamins all through a pregnancy to ensure an expectant mother receives all the nutrients necessary for a healthy pregnancy. Even if pregnant women pay attention to their diet and eat a variety of healthful foods, they often still lack at least some vitamins and minerals, including folate, vitamins A, D, E and B vitamins, calcium, iron and zinc. Although prenatal vitamins are meant specifically for pregnant women, some people may benefit from taking prenatal vitamins when they are not pregnant.
Ready the Body for Pregnancy
One of the benefits of taking prenatal vitamins when not pregnant involves the preparation of the body for pregnancy. The March of Dimes began a campaign in the 1990s to alert women that taking folic acid, a B vitamin found in prenatal vitamins, helps to decrease the incidence of birth defects of the spinal cord and brain, especially when taken before pregnancy. The March of Dimes claims that 70 percent of all neural tube birth defects, a defect of the spine, could be prevented if women receive the recommended daily intake of folic acid before they become pregnant. The recommended daily intake is 400 mcg. Those with neural tube defects or those with children with neural tube defects who want to become pregnant may benefit from taking larger doses, 4,000 mcg at least one month prior to becoming pregnant, as it can help ward off this birth defect.
Promotes Healthy Hair
Taking prenatal vitamins without being pregnant may benefit the hair. The Target Woman website indicates that the average person's hair grows at a pace of a half inch every month, which equates to approximately 6 inches per year. Hair that grows slower may be a result of an unhealthy diet. Proponents of taking prenatal vitamins for hair health believe the extra vitamins delivered, like iron, calcium and folic acid, help hair grow stronger and stimulate growth. MayoClinic.com warns that taking prenatal vitamins for this purpose may cause health problems. Taking more than the recommended 400 mcg of folic acid per day can hide symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency, which can delay treatment. Many prenatal vitamins contain 800 mcg of folic acid.
Decreases Incidence of Anemia
Some women who suffer from anemia take prenatal vitamins for their high levels of iron. Anemia, a condition that can sap the body of energy due to a lack of iron in the blood, causes symptoms like paleness, weakness, headaches, shortness of breath, cold hands and feet, brittle nails, an irregular heartbeat and poor appetite. Iron can be incorporated into the diet of a woman who isn't pregnant through regular iron supplements or iron-rich foods like liver, but some women take prenatal vitamins to get a broader range of nutrients. MayoClinic.com cautions that prenatal vitamins often contain 27 mg of iron, far above the 18 mg per day that is recommended for women. Getting too much iron can cause constipation, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and death.
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