TTC vitamins - worth it or waste of money?

[bluemoon2468]

I'm currently taking folic acid, vitamin d, iron and vitamin b12 daily, all separately and just boots/supermarket own brand ones. I've been looking at specialist branded TTC multivitamins e.g. Pregnacare and have been wondering whether these are actually likely to improve my chances of conceiving, or whether they're just a glorified multivitamin gimic at three times the price?

I don't know a lot about the recommended vitamins for TTC and their properties (other than folic acid) so would love to hear some opinions. If not them, then are there any individual vitamins I should be adding to my regimen?

I'm 20 weeks' pregnant and have been taking a pregnancy multivitamin before conception and still taking it.

I agree that Pregnacare is very expensive! I tried it for my first pregnancy and it didn't agree with my digestion either.

My pregnancy multivit (Pregnancy Support) has everything recommended in it and is from Tesco at around £3ish for 30 tablets. Also pretty much always on the 3 for 2 offer as well so I take advantage of that.

When ttc I also took DHA capsules which are supposed to be good for reproductive health. I also too coq10 also apparently a good anti oxidant.
If you have Instagram Luisa Zissman has a whole set of stories in pregnancy vitamins and ttc whic I found helpful.

I saw the the fertility doctor a few days ago and asked the same question. I'm on 5mg folic acid because I'm diabetic, I take vit D cause I was low according to my GP also Iron tablets, again low. All these I have to take because Im deficient and on top of that I take pregnacare, vit B complex, Ubiquinol 20mg, and up until ovulation I take EPO. So according to the fertility doctor Im wasting my money with the last 4 😬 apparently there's no evidence that these supplements help in any way TTC. If my diet was really bad she would say continue to take them for my health and even then only the pregnacare one would be sufficient. So having just stocked up on them not that long ago I might as well finish them now cause they're not doing any harm but I'll probably give up taking them. Been TTC #1 for the past year with not even a hint of a BFP. Oh and she wasn't even that positive about acupuncture/reflexology she said there's no point in wasting my money unless it's just making me feel better. I won't even describe the look she gave me when I told her how many opk's I go through a month 😂 Her advice was just relax don't waste your money and DTD every 2/3 days. 😊

The problem with evidence is there isn't much. So no one's funding a really robust trial into vitamins because no pharmaceutical company is making millions if it works as its a small market spending a few quid on vitamins that they can't patent. Plus the ethics of testing on potentially pregnant women.
You need to balance if they will harm you (probably not), if they will help (maybe) and if you can afford it (depends)

Read It Starts With The Egg for more information about it all. However I'd say it's more about preventing miscarriage, helping ivf etc the getting you a positive pregnancy test. I suppose when it works for you you want the egg/ embryo to be as good as possible so possible still worth while.

I'd go to Asda etc for vitamins though, no need for the pricy brand

Hi @Happythoughts123,

I took all of these three too and managed to concieve on my first month in September. Unfortunately I had a MC in November and am back TTC.

Still taking the folic acid and DHA but was worried about the COQ10 ... did you have a successful/ok pregnancy? I was just looking for a reason as to why the MC might have happened and I just pinned it on the COQ10 to give myself a reason ... which I know is silly as others have used it and been fine.

Hi @stephyrose when I got pregnant I stopped taking coq10 but continued with DHA as I believe this is recommended for brain development etc. Currently 13 weeks and all is looking ok so far.

There are so many variables for MC - I know it’s natural to want to find a reason but it is so common can be due to so many different things.

Really wishing you luck with your ttc journey. Xxx

You are definitely right @Happythoughts123, my theory was irrational. I'm 9DPO and if I haven't fallen this cycle I was go back to taking COQ10 too on the first day of my next cycle. 💗

Thank you, wishing you a wonderful pregnancy 💗 xx