Prenatal vitamins are not just for pregnant women. In fact, many women who are not pregnant also take them routinely. You don't have to have a doctor's prescription to get a prenatal; however, this does not mean it is necessarily your best multivitamin option. Prenatals are specifically designed for women who are already pregnant or trying to conceive.
What's Different?
While prenatal vitamins may contain the same types of vitamins and minerals as a standard women's multivitamin, they do not contain the same amounts. In general, prenatals contain more iron and folic acid than the average multivitamin, as these nutrients are vital for both moms-to-be and their unborn babies. That said, you don't have to be pregnant for a prenatal vitamin to be appropriate. Many women who are trying to conceive, or who may become pregnant, can benefit from switching their regular multivitamin to a prenatal vitamin. However, those who have no plans or desire to become pregnant may be wasting their money.
Trying to Conceive
Women who are actively trying to get pregnant are usually advised to switch to a prenatal vitamin. MayoClinic.com recommends you do this three months in advance, to ensure you have a plentiful source of these nutrients before a baby's important developmental stages take place. In particular, the baby's neural tube develops so early in pregnancy that many women may not even know yet that they are pregnant. Folic acid is vital for healthy neural tube development. Cleveland Clinic recommends women who are trying to conceive take a prenatal with 800 to 1,000 mcg folic acid. Iron is also essential: women without adequate iron in their bodies before pregnancy are at a higher risk for developing pregnancy anemia. Cleveland Clinic recommends your prenatal contain 30 mg iron.
Women of Childbearing Age
Of course, not all women who get pregnant were attempting to do so. The Cleveland Clinic estimates that around half of all pregnancies are not planned. Because of this, women who are sexually active and of childbearing age may wish to consider taking a prenatal vitamin, just in case. However, even this may not be necessary. Per the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, all women who meet these criteria should take a multivitamin with at least 400 mcg folic acid. This may be enough to prevent neural tube defects, even when a pregnancy is unplanned. If you think you might want to get pregnant in the future, however, a prenatal may be more appropriate.
Prenatals for Beauty?
Some women who take prenatals have no intention of getting pregnant; they take them for their supposed beauty benefits. However, Katherine Zeratsky, a registered dietician for MayoClinic.com, reports that any claims of thicker hair or stronger nails from prenatal vitamins are purely anecdotal. In addition, Zeratsky warns that you can get too much of a good thing: excess iron and folic acid can be toxic at very high levels. Fortunately, this is not very common. Still, unless you are hoping to conceive in the near or not-so-near future, a prenatal may not be right for you.
References
- American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Nutrition During Pregnancy; August 2010
- Cleveland Clinic: Prenatal Vitamins; December 2009
- MayoClinic.com: It is OK to Take Prenatal Vitamins if I'm Not Pregnant and Don't Plan to Become Pregnant?; Katherine Zeratsky; August 2009
- MayoClinic.com: Prenatal Vitamins, Give Your Baby the Best Start; March 2010
Member Comments