PRENATAL VITAMINS

Prenatal vitamins typically contain more folic acid and iron than do standard adult multivitamins. Prenatal vitamins generally contain folic acid, calcium iron and vitamin D.

  • Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects. These defects are serious abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord.
  • Iron supports the baby’s growth and development. Iron also helps prevent anemia, a condition in which blood has a low number of healthy red blood cells.

Some women feel queasy after taking prenatal vitamins. If this happens to you, take your prenatal vitamin with a snack or before you go to bed at night.

In other cases, the iron in prenatal vitamins contributes to constipation. To prevent constipation:

  • Drink plenty of fluids
  • Include more fiber in your diet
  • Include physical activity in your daily routine, as long as you have your health care provider’s OK
  • Ask your health care provider about using a stool softener

If these tips don’t seem to help, ask your health care provider about other options. He or she might recommend another type of prenatal vitamin or separate folic acid, calcium with vitamin D, and iron supplements.

Precautions

Some medical conditions may interact with prenatal multivitamin tablets. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

  • if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
  • if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
  • if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
  • if you have stomach or intestinal problems (eg, colitis, Crohn disease, diverticulitis), pernicious anemia or other blood problems (eg, anemia, porphyria), bleeding problems (eg, hemophilia), liver problems, kidney stones, or peptic ulcer
  • if you have had multiple blood transfusions

 

Interactions

Taking similar vitamin products together at the same time can result in a vitamin overdose or may lead to serious side effects so avoid taking any other multivitamin product within 2 hours before or after you take your prenatal multivitamins.

Avoid the regular use of salt substitutes in your diet if your multivitamin contains potassium. If you are on a low-salt diet, ask your doctor before taking a vitamin or mineral supplement.

Do not take this medication with milk, other dairy products, calcium supplements, or antacids that contain calcium. Calcium may make it harder for your body to absorb certain ingredients of the prenatal multivitamin.

Vitamin and mineral supplements can interact with certain medications, or affect how medications work in your body. Tell your doctor about all medicines you use, and those you start or stop using during your treatment with prenatal multivitamins.

Available brands:

  • Mamafer
  • Obnate IQ plus
  • Sangobion prenatal FA
  • Naturalle prenatal vitamins and minerals

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