Prenatal vitamins are designed to help expectant mothers provide proper nutrition to themselves and their unborn babies during pregnancy. Many different companies sell prenatal vitamins. They contain many of the same vitamins and minerals as regular multivitamin supplements used by non-pregnant adults, but add extra nutritional sources specifically for expectant mothers, such as iron, calcium and folic acid, in more abundant quantities, MayoClinic.com reports. While prenatal vitamins can produce side effects, in most cases you will experience only mild and temporary problems.
Stool Discoloration
Largely because of the extra iron in most prenatal vitamins, your stools may change color, primarily as you start using the supplements. Typically, your stools will appear darker, the University of Maryland Medical Center indicates. This does not constitute a problem in most cases, unless your stools appear black and have the consistency of tar. If this occurs, you may have a medical condition causing blood to appear in your stools.
Constipation
Constipation, or hardened stools that become difficult to move through your bowels, may occur simply because your intestines are reacting to the new prenatal vitamins. You may get cramps accompanying the constipation. Hardened stools also may occur because of the extra calcium contained in prenatal vitamins. For this reason, some prenatal vitamins contain stool softeners as well as vitamins and minerals. If you do become constipated, over-the-counter remedies may help. If the condition persists, speak with a doctor.
Gastric Disturbances
You may experience nausea when you begin a course of prenatal vitamins. Nausea often occurs when you start using a new supplement or medication because your body has not acclimated to it. Any nausea symptoms should feel mild and end on their own within a week or so. If you experience severe nausea and vomiting, contact a physician.
Headaches
Prenatal vitamins can produce mild headaches during initial use, but such pain should dissipate in a few days. As with any side effect related to a supplement or drug, consult your doctor if you experience severe headaches or if mild headaches persist.
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