can i take prenatal vitamins to get pregnant?
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The bottom line. Taking a prenatal vitamin is perfectly healthy for someone not looking to conceive. While it won't support fertility, it will replenish folic acid, iron, vitamin D, and calcium stores in the body. This can help keep you strong and prevent potential health complications in an unexpected pregnancy.
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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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During pregnancy, take a prenatal vitamin each day that has 600 mcg of folic acid in it. Folic acid only works to prevent NTDs before and during the first few weeks of pregnancy. Later in pregnancy, you need 600 mcg of folic acid each day to help your baby grow and develop.
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Twogood recommends starting daily prenatal vitamins one month before trying to conceive and continuing them throughout the first trimester of pregnancy. Mendes says that starting before you become pregnant can help prepare your body.
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Taking prenatal vitamins even after pregnancy is a recommended option. They work well as postnatal vitamins, since your breast milk will continue to provide important nutrients for your baby. Make sure your supplements include essential nutrients such as folic acid, iron, Vitamin D, fish oil, and calcium.
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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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Ideally, you'll start taking prenatal vitamins before conception. In fact, it's generally a good idea for women of reproductive age to regularly take a prenatal 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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Take a prenatal. No, you're not pregnant yet — but taking a prenatal vitamin in the months leading up to conception can help prevent serious birth defects, preterm delivery, and — as a just-for-mom bonus — morning sickness. So ask your practitioner for a recommendation and get popping now.
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Prescription Vitamins Prescription prenatal vitamins may be an option for you during your pregnancy; however, it's important to note that having a prescription is not a requirement.
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Taking supplements A prenatal vitamin will give you your main essentials, one being folic acid, which you should start taking around three to four months leading up to conception. Aim for 400 mcg of folic acid when you're TTC.
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How long should you take prenatal vitamins for? It's best to take prenatal vitamins throughout your entire pregnancy. Your healthcare provider may suggest continuing to take prenatal vitamins after the baby is born — especially if you're breastfeeding.
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No, there is little scientific evidence to support taking prenatal vitamins as hair vitamins. The myth of their benefits arose because women who usually take prenatals – that is, pregnant women – naturally have long, thick, fast-growing hair due to pregnancy hormones.
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When to start taking prenatal vitamins Because so much of a baby's development happens during the early weeks of pregnancy, it's important to start taking [prenatal vitamins](https://ritual.com/products/essential-prenatal-multivitamin) before you start trying to get pregnant (__three months is a good rule of thumb__).
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Best time to take prenatal vitamins Since prenatal vitamins are a multivitamin, taking them before lunch is an optimal time to absorb all that they contain. A good prenatal vitamin will include calcium, iron, and folic acid, according to the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG).
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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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To ensure that expectant moms are getting enough vitamins and minerals, they'll often take a prenatal vitamin. Prenatal vitamins are associated with reducing risks for pregnancy complications like neural tube defects and anemia.