Some pregnant women struggle so much with nausea that they can be hard pressed to find something that doesn't make them sick. For others, nausea has potential triggers, including prenatal vitamins. Different women have different triggers, and no single prenatal vitamin is guaranteed to be nausea-free. However, if your vitamin is making you sick, there are a few changes that may offer some relief.
Iron and B-6
Pregnant women need almost twice as much iron as the average woman to avoid anemia during their pregnancy. To help make up the extra, many prenatal vitamins contain upwards of 30 mg of iron, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Unfortunately, iron can be hard on the stomach, and may cause digestive upsets. Considering that pregnant women, especially those in their first trimester, tend to have more delicate stomachs than most, this extra iron may be enough to trigger episodes of nausea and vomiting. What to Expect recommends that women check with their doctors about changing to a prenatal formula with less iron, even if only temporarily, if their usual prenatal vitamin is difficult to tolerate. B-6, another ingredient in prenatals, may also help to keep nausea at bay. Cleveland Clinic reports that women should take prenatals containing at least 2.6 mg of B-6. Taking more may help to prevent some episodes of nausea. However, you should talk to your doctor before combining supplements.
Pill Versus Chewable
Many prenatal vitamins are what you might call horse pills: large, and difficult to swallow. For a pregnant woman who is already prone to nausea, swallowing a large pill can trigger sickness. Cleveland Clinic recommends chewable prenatal vitamins to those who have difficulty swallowing large pills or who are unable to tolerate swallowing their usual vitamin. Be sure to check with your doctor to ensure your chewable prenatal has the right amount of extra vitamins and minerals you need.
Over-the-Counter vs. Prescription
Like many other medications, the strong prenatal vitamins are kept behind the counter. Not every woman needs a prescription-strength prenatal vitamin; however, some doctors prefer to prescribe prenatals that contain more of certain key nutrients than over-the-counter versions. If your prescription prenatal is making you sick, it might be time to talk about changing strengths. What to Expect reports that over-the-counter prenatals may be less likely to trigger nausea. However, they also advise checking labels carefully before making the switch, as these vitamins may contain less of certain vital nutrients. Always discuss any changes in your prenatal vitamin with your doctor first.
Other Tips
Sometimes, it isn't the prenatal vitamin itself that triggers the nausea, but how you take it. Before you change to another vitamin, try changing the time of day you take your vitamin. Mayoclinic.com suggests taking prenatals at night, when your stomach is less likely to be empty. You can also take your vitamin with a small snack, or chew a piece of gum immediately after taking it, both of which can decrease nausea symptoms for some women.
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