Prenatal vitamins.....what do you take?

[whiterose2011]

I've been taking folic acid everyday but someone just told me that I should also be taking a prenatal vitamin. I always assumed they were a bit of a con but this woman swears by them! Anyone care to share their experiences before I bankrupt myself on useless tablets!!!

[moggle]

If you have a balanced diet and eat enough fruit and veg I don't think you need to.
I don't always eat what I should so I'm taking a CHEAP superdrug prenatal vitamin which includes folic acid. I certainly don't think it's worth paying the huge premium for Pregnacare et al. Having said that I'm not pregnant after 12m of trying so not sure I should give out advice!
(If you are going to take a multivitamin do make sure it's a pregnancy / conception one because you aren't supposed to have extra vitamin A while pregnant. Not quite sure why taking OUT a vitamin makes the multivitamin more expensive,,, but there you go!)

[RaspberrysAndIcecream]

Hi, I take the pregnacare conception tablet and also a high dose of folic acid due to medical family history.
My gp recommended pregnacare, & said it was ok to take alongside the folic acid.

[BraveLilBear]

Hello. Was taking Sanatogen mother to be - that was great, had folic acid and B12 (see news headlines yesterday) and iron and zinc and a ton of other stuff and was quite easy to take. Only cost about £3.50-odd, IIRC.

When I ran out though, so had my local Tesco, so I went for the Tesco Pregnancy one. Basically the same vitamins and minerals, although some are in slightly different amounts (I compared the boxes ). These cost £3 or just under I think.

I saw these as a great compromise, pricewise, and tbh I don't know how they're working re baby-making and sticking, but I have not caught anything since being on them, and every type of lurgy under the sun has been going round at work.

It says they're suitable before, during and after pregnancy.

[whiterose2011]

Thanks ladies. Does that mean it is ok to take 400mg of folic acid plus prenatal vitamins? I looked in Boots at lunchtime and the pregnacare one said it had folic acid in it.....don't want to OD!

[BraveLilBear]

From what I've heard, you can't really OD on folic acid - iron, yes - too much iron can do an awful lot of damage, but folic acid, no.

I think the body takes what folic acid it wants and the rest is wee'd out. You could check with a pharmacist.

But really, all prenatal vitamins will have 400mcg of folic acid in them which is the recomended amount. Why take both unless you've been prescribed it?

[whiterose2011]

That's what I wondered but this lady told me to take both. Maybe some prenatal vitamins don't have folic acid in them and in that instance you need to take an extra tablet....too confusing!!

[BraveLilBear]

Ha - I know! You can see what each tablet has in them on the back/side of the packet. Govt guidelines are 400mcg folic acid daily.

Some people are prescribed more if they have family background of neural tube defects, but usually you wouldn't need extra.

I don't think it would hurt to take both, as long as it was purely folic acid only in the second one, but seems like a waste of money as surely all prenatal vitamins have folic acid at recommended levels in them by their very nature.

If you're worried about it, ask a pharmacist...