All pregnant women should take prenatal vitamins, because they require increased amounts of specific nutrients, such as folic acid, iron and calcium. These three nutrients are key in promoting fetal growth, development and healthy growth after birth. Although these supplements are critical for expecting mothers, they may pose possible effects for women who are not.
B12 Deficiency
Folic acid, or folate, is one of the chief ingredients of prenatal vitamins. Your body needs folic acid to make DNA; the vitamin also helps prevent damage to your DNA. Women who are attempting to get pregnant or those who are pregnant require higher doses of folic acid. However, most other healthy adults require only 400 mcg per day, MayoClinic.com reports, which is less than half of the folate content found in prenatal vitamins.
Taking too much folic acid can mask symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms, according to MayoClinic.com. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause problems with red blood cells and the nervous system. In order to diagnose this disease, doctors perform a blood test to identify the damage to the red blood cells. However, excess folic acid intake can repair damage to the red blood cells, without helping with any nerve damage. Therefore, your doctor may miss the vitamin B12 deficiency due to the effect of folic acid on your blood cells. This can be dangerous because, without treatment, vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to permanent nerve damage.
Excess Iron
Prenatal vitamins contain abundant amounts of iron. Pregnant and growing babies need iron to produce red blood cells. Even if you are not pregnant, iron is essential for the normal functioning of your body. However, too much iron can lead to an overdose. The first symptoms of an iron overdose include diarrhea, nausea, sharp stomach pain, severe vomiting and fever, according to the American Pregnancy Association. If you think you have taken an overdose of iron, seek emergency medical care prior to the development of symptoms. You typically have an hour before severe symptoms begin.
Calcium Deficiency
Calcium is necessary for muscle function, dental health and the growth of strong bones. Everyone, including pregnant women, requires 1,000 mg to 1,200 mg a day, MayoClinic.com reports. Most commonly, you will get enough calcium from your diet; therefore, prenatal vitamins only contain around 300 mg to 400 mg of calcium. If you solely rely on prenatal vitamins for your calcium needs, you will suffer form a calcium deficiency.
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