What happens if you stop taking your prenatal vitamins

Q: When do u stop taking prenatal vitamins?

When Should You Stop Taking Prenatal Vitamins? Theres no standard recommendation for when you should toss the prenatals, though the general suggestion is to continue taking them as long as youre breastfeeding. Thats based on studies that have found that continued supplementation has direct benefits for your baby.

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Reasons Not to Skip Your Prenatal Vitamins

Posted in: Fertility | Posted on: 03-Nov-2020

When it comes to pregnancy, everything from web articles to books, to relatives and strangers have advice for the mom to be. With all the pregnancy “advice” out there, it’s hard to know what – or whom – to believe. Separating fact from fiction can be a challenge but when it comes to your prenatal vitamins there is little wiggle room on the subject. Take your vitamins!

When you're pregnant, you need increased amounts of certain vitamins and minerals, such as folic acid and iron. Prenatal vitamins ensure you're getting the 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid necessary to help prevent neural tube birth defects like spina bifida, as well as extra iron for your increased blood volume.

For some women their prenatal vitamin can make them feel nauseous, consider it the first real sacrifice of motherhood. Prenatal supplements have been said to contribute to your babies language development. Low levels of vitamin D can contribute to increased risk of development language difficulties later on in life and pregnancy complications like preeclampsia. Taking a prenatal multivitamin also ensures you don’t get too much of a good thing. Excess vitamin A during pregnancy, for example, can cause birth defects.

While a balanced diet during pregnancy is ideal, nausea and carb cravings often throw best intentions out the window. If you are struggling to eat enough fresh greens and fruits know that your multivitamin has you and your baby covered. If you are struggling with nausea and vomiting, speak with your doctor and get some guidance so that you don’t end up skipping your prenatal.

Tips for taking a prenatal vitamin while experiencing nausea and vomiting

Try taking a delayed release capsule
Change the time of day, if morning is worse take it at night before bed
Change brands of your prenatal vitamins
Incorporate more ginger into your diet
Eat small frequent meals

Taking a vitamin you're comfortable with is crucial since you won't necessarily stop taking it after your baby arrives. Doctors advise continuing your prenatal vitamins for the duration of breastfeeding, or longer. When in doubt, ask your doctor about your prenatal vitamin and any other supplements you're taking.

Consult your doctor or a reproductive specialist regarding what prenatal vitamins might be best suited for you and your baby.

November Baby of Month

Dr. Anil Pinto is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and the subspecialty of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. Dr. Pinto has a special interest in the treatment of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), recurrent pregnancy loss, and advanced reproductive technologies, such as IVF. ReproMed Fertility Center offers personalized fertility treatments in six convenient locations in the Dallas metroplex and one in Tyler. Please contact us at (214) 827-8777 for all appointments and information.

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.

Prenatal vitamins are formulated specifically for women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, and women who are breast-feeding, with particular emphasis on:

Folic acid. To reduce the risk of having a child with neural tube defects, it's recommended that women who are trying to become pregnant get 400 to 800 micrograms (mcg) of folate or folic acid a day through diet and supplements. Other healthy adults — both men and women — need only 400 mcg a day. While uncommon, getting too much folic acid by taking supplements can mask the symptoms of vitamin B-12 deficiency and delay diagnosis and treatment.
Iron. During pregnancy, the recommended intake of iron is 27 milligrams (mg) a day. Women between the ages of 19 and 50 who aren't pregnant need only 18 mg a day, and women age 51 and older and all adult men need only 8 mg a day. Getting too much iron can be toxic because it can build up in your body, causing constipation, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and, in severe cases, possibly death.
Calcium. Pregnant adult women and healthy men and women ages 19 to 50 all need 1,000 mg a day. Men and women age 51 and older need 1,000 mg a day and 1,200 mg a day, respectively. Because prenatal vitamins are intended to supplement calcium you get in your diet, they generally contain only 200 to 300 mg of calcium. If you rely on prenatal vitamins to meet your calcium needs, you likely won't get enough, raising your risk of osteoporosis and other health problems.

Generally, if you eat a healthy, balanced diet, taking multivitamins of any sort isn't necessary.

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Aug. 27, 2020

2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines. Accessed March 20, 2017.
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