can you take prenatal vitamins even if you aren't pregnant?
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You may be tempted to take prenatal vitamins because of unproven claims that they promote thicker hair and stronger nails. However, if you're not pregnant and not planning to become pregnant, high levels of certain nutrients over a long period of time may actually be more harmful than helpful.
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Prenatal vitamins are supplements that contain daily vitamins and minerals you need before and during your pregnancy. Folic acid is the most important vitamin to take when planning a pregnancy. Folic acid is a B vitamin that cells in your body need for growing and developing.
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Don't worry if you didn't take prenatal vitamins before you got pregnant. Many women haven't in the past, and they still had healthy babies. Just start taking them as soon as you know you're pregnant. When you get pregnant, ask your doctor which prenatal vitamin is best for you.
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Depending on your diet, your physician or lactation consultant may recommend that you keep taking your prenatal vitamins as long as you breastfeed your baby.
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Do not take multivitamins without telling your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Some vitamins and minerals can harm an unborn baby if taken in large doses. You may need to use a prenatal vitamin specially formulated for pregnant women.
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You can also take prenatal vitamins when you aren't preparing for pregnancy, but prenatal vitamins aren't recommended for long-term use. Taking birth control and prenatal vitamins at the same time isn't harmful, but it isn't something you should do for a long period.
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In a nutshell: Yes. Our experts are here to answer your questions when it comes to making sure you're getting the nutrients you and baby need. If you've got baby on the brain, you should start taking a prenatal vitamin three months before you begin trying to get pregnant, if possible.
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During pregnancy, take a prenatal vitamin that has 600 micrograms of folic acid in it every day. Take a vitamin supplement with folic acid every day, even if you're not trying to get pregnant.
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It is important to begin a prenatal vitamin before you get pregnant, both because of the positive benefits it can have during the very early weeks of pregnancy (before you may even know you are pregnant) and to help women get into the routine of remembering their daily vitamin.
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The takeaway. If you're thinking seriously about becoming pregnant in the next few months, starting a prenatal vitamin should be at the top of your preconception to-do list. If you're already pregnant, begin taking one ASAP. It will help your baby grow strong and healthy (and help you stay strong and healthy, too!).
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If you are a woman with low vitamin D levels, taking a supplement of this key vitamin may increase your ability to get pregnant and carry the baby to term. That's why many fertility practices routinely screen for vitamin D levels and give supplements to women who are deficient.
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Take Your Vitamins Doctors used to tell women to take folic acid as soon as they got pregnant. Now, experts suggest starting a prenatal vitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid before you try to have a baby. This important nutrient prevents spinal defects in growing babies. See if your prenatal vitamin has DHA.
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Since prenatal vitamins provide higher amounts of folate, it's a good idea to continue taking them throughout lactation. If desired, a regular multivitamin can be taken plus an additional folate supplement.
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Pregnant women don't need prenatal multivitamins, study concludes. Prenatal vitamins are a staple of modern pregnancy. But a report out Monday in the journal Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin suggests they don't make much difference in preventing complications such as premature birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth.
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Eat as if you are already pregnant. You MUST be taking a high-quality prenatal vitamin with additional DHA and at least 100 mg of choline. Avoid foods like raw oysters, rare hamburger meat, and unpasteurized cheeses. It is also a good idea to cut back on alcohol intake at this time too.
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Can prenatals increase my fertility? Taking your prenatal vitamin won't make you any more likely to get pregnant. This one is just a myth we're happy to bust. Prenatal vitamins will, however, make it significantly more likely that you experience a healthy pregnancy.
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The best reason to take prenatal vitamins is to protect your baby from defects of the brain and spine, like spina bifida. These defects develop in the first month of your baby's growth, before some women even know they're pregnant. So it's best to start prenatal vitamins before you try to get pregnant.