Prenatal vitamins are not just for pregnant women. Your doctor may advise you to take a prenatal vitamin at other times in your life, depending on your age and whether you are interested in trying to conceive a baby. Prenatal vitamins contain the vitamins and minerals that help the growth and development of an unborn baby.
Prenatal Vitamin Ingredients
Although the specific amounts and configurations of vitamins and minerals in each prenatal vitamin vary slightly, there are certain ingredients that most prenatals contain. Folic acid, calcium and iron are essential for a baby's in utero development. Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida, calcium helps maintain the density of your bones as the baby grows in your uterus and iron supplementation helps you avoid becoming anemic during pregnancy. Other vitamins and minerals found in many prenatals are vitamins A, C, E, D, B6, B12, niacin, riboflavin and zinc, according to the United States National Library of Medicine.
Women Trying to Conceive
If you are actively trying to get pregnant or are open to the idea of a pregnancy, ask your doctor if you should begin taking a prenatal vitamin. Even reliable birth control methods have varying degrees of failure, which means you could become pregnant unintentionally. Neural tube defects generally occur in the first weeks of pregnancy, often before you even realize you are expecting. The folic acid in prenatal vitamins can help protect your baby's development.
Pregnant Women
All pregnant women should take a daily prenatal vitamin, unless otherwise directed by a physician. The amounts of vitamins and minerals present in prenatal vitamins will help sustain you throughout your pregnancy. Although it is theoretically possible to get all your nutritional needs by food intake, prenatal vitamins ensure you and your baby receive the necessary nutrients. Your doctor may recommend a specific brand of prenatal vitamins for your needs, or may allow you to purchase an over-the-counter prenatal vitamin.
Lactating Mothers
Lactating or breastfeeding women may continue to take a prenatal vitamin after birth, if recommended by a physician or lactation consultant. When breastfeeding, your nutritional needs are different than when you are pregnant, but the more complete your nutrient intake is, the better you are able to nourish your baby. If you are not using birth control while breastfeeding, you may become pregnant again even before your first postpartum menstrual cycle starts. Taking a prenatal vitamin before your menstrual cycle begins anew will help protect a new pregnancy from neural tube defects.
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