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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

5mg Folic Acid & Pregnancy Vitamins

21 replies

Wolfy14 · 06/12/2014 10:55

Is it safe to take 5mg of Folic Acid plus my pregnancy vitamins which have 0.4mg of Folic Acid in them? So 5.4mg in total. My Dr says it should be okay but my midwife says no! I'm vegetarian and really want to take my pregnancy vitamins to make sure I'm getting everything I should be. I stopped them and have been on 5mg of FA and 10mg vit D for about 18days now but feel sluggish compared to when I was taking the pregnancy vitamins. I can't seem to find a definitive answer anywhere. Also worried because I have been very sick this past 4 weeks and haven't been able to stomach much so my diet hasn't been great. At least my pregnancy vits would make sure I'm getting what I should be. Anyone been in the same situation or know whether 5.4mg FA is safe to take?

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DRSLondon · 06/12/2014 11:43

I took both. I was told it was ok by my doctor and he said you cannot have too much folic acid as it is not stored in the body.
Good luck x
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comeagainforbigfudge · 06/12/2014 11:45

Hello,

I have been lurking on mums net for quite some time but felt I had to register when I saw your post as i am in the exact same situation.

Except it was the pharmacist that told me not to take the pregnicare vits because of the folic acid.

Both my gp and midwife hadn't heard of this. But they advised me that it was more important to get the 5mg folic acid and my super duper strength vit d in than to worry about vitamins. My midwife at the booking appoint did also say to make sure I was taking vit c as well. (Orange juice seems to be an absolute must for me just now so that's good).

I was also told to keep taking until I see my consultant. As no-one knew if I should stop at 12 weeks with the folic acid, as is the normal advice given.

I don't think I've helped you much but when I've seen my consultant I'll pop back and tell you what they said.
that won't be til 1st week in Jan though

Hope I helped a wee bit
Xx

gluenotsoup · 06/12/2014 13:00

Hi, I am currently being prescribed 5mg of folic acid after 3 miscarriages, as advised by a consultant gynaecologist, who is a sub specialist in reproductive medicine. I am currently 9 weeks pregnant, and when I went to see her to say I was pregnant she advised me to also take pregnacare. She explained that it is safe to take it because the folic acid in them is only 0.4 micrograms not milligrams, so is in effect a very tiny additional amount, but the other vitamins are vital, especially vitamin d. Just as an aside, I also have to take extra vitamin d too as my levels are borderline low, and apparently it is important than first realised in pregnancy.

Hope this helps !

Original poster

Wolfy14 · 06/12/2014 13:59

Thank you very much everyone, it's so confusing when you get conflicting advice and there just doesn't seem to be one definitive answer.

I think I will start taking my seven seas pregnancy vits as well as the folic acid as a couple of you are and it obviously isn't doing you any harm. I will of course have to stop the Vit D as that will be in my pregnancy vits.

Comeagainforbigfudge, I wouldn't be so worried about not taking the pregnancy vits if I wasn't vegetarian and had a better diet at the moment. I know exactly what you mean about the 12 weeks thing. I asked my midwife if I just had to take the 5mg folic acid up until 12 weeks, thinking great then I can go back onto my seven seas vits and she said no keep taking them throughout my pregnancy. However, everything you read says you should just take them up to 12 weeks! Arrgghhh!

Gluenotsoup, just so you know there are 400 micrograms in pregnacare and all other pregnancy vitamins not 0.4 micrograms. 400 micrograms is the same as 0.4 milligrams. But as your gynaecologist says it is only a small additional amount.

Thanks again x

Interested to hear anyone else's opinions on this as well so please let me know if you are in the same boat.

OP posts:

Tranquilitybaby · 06/12/2014 14:41

I'm taking that dose and so far so good.

comeagainforbigfudge · 06/12/2014 14:43

Wolfy14 thanks for that. I had a feeling that might be the case but was hoping not. Rubbish at taking tablets! With regards to vitamin d, check how much is in your seven seas vits. You take up to 25mg/day. And if you on it for a specific reason it's best to check. I take a dose that works out as 10mg but even with the preggers vits it was still way below the limit. Hope this makes sense.

gluenotsoup that makes perfect sense when explained! I have been thinking to myself of all the food that are enriched with folic acid that I must be going over the limits now I'm managing to eat better!!

It's a minefield this pregnancy lark!

ClumsyCrocheter · 06/12/2014 14:48

I'm also on 5mg folic acid and a vegetarian. I'm concerned I'm not getting all the vitamins I need, so I'm taking pregnacare or whatever it's called.
I was concerned about the extra 0.4mg folic acid, but after some research online, it seems your body doesn't store excess fa and will just wee it out if needed! So I'm not to worried tbh x

LittleBairn · 06/12/2014 14:53

I used to take the high dose Folic acid, for mutiple ate term MC, I was told the amount in a multi-Vit was fine along with the 5mg. I had to stop at 16 weeks because it started to make me sick now I just take 400ug with my DHA tablet.

cheshirem2b · 06/12/2014 15:43

I took 5mg plus pregnacare - apparently what ever folic acid is left over and not absorbed is disposed of by your body so you won't take too much. I'm 36w now and all fine here.

Original poster

Wolfy14 · 06/12/2014 16:10

Fantastic, thanks everyone. Feel so much better knowing others have been told this dose is fine. I'll definitely start taking my pregnancy vits again today. Just wish I hadn't stopped in the first place.

LittleBairn I have had all day sickness since I've been taking the higher dose, it's been horrible. Haven't actually been sick just constantly feel sick, apart from when I'm eating. I'm also taking a vegetarian DHA supplement made from algae oil. Hopefully it's doing baby some good.

10 wks 1 day today and getting my first scan on 23 December, scared to death following a miscarriage at 7 weeks in March this year but excited at the same time :)

Thanks again everyone, your advice has really helped x

OP posts:

LittleBairn · 06/12/2014 17:44

wolfy that's how I started off feeling nauseous then after a few weeks I started to vomited within 30mins of taking it. Once I stopped taking it the sickness stopped. My consultant said tat was fine in my case he doubted it would make a difference.

It's supposed to be a common side effect, I was really suprised because I had them for around 15 weeks in my 2nd pregnancy without a problem.
I'm taking the Veridian Brand of DHA with Folic Acid, its Vegetarian too, despite it being my biggest tablet (and trust me I'm on a combination of 9 different meds &Vitamins at the moment) its actually the easiest to take.

LittleBairn · 06/12/2014 17:45

wolfy good luck with the scan pregnancy is so mentally tough after a loss, those milestones become so important.

Hidingthefear · 06/12/2014 17:54

I didn't make it through 1 box of pregnacare. I was vomiting daily and after reading about it stopped taking them to see if the sickness went. Sadly at 22 weeks I'm still vomiting everyday so even if I did take them again I doubt my body would absorb anything. The importance of all these vits has left me feeling really worried that if something is wrong it will be all my fault
First pregnancy and it's an absolute minefield !

Original poster

Wolfy14 · 07/12/2014 10:54

Thanks littlebairn. Every time I feel a pain I have a feeling of dread but it's getting better the further along I get. I have a very busy couple of weeks ahead so hopefully the 23rd will be here before I know it. Hope the FA doesn't make me start vomiting! Fingers crossed x

Hidingthefear please don't worry I've seen plenty of posts of people that haven't been able to eat or take tablets because of their sickness, some for 17 weeks, and their babies are fine. I took pregnacare last time round and it made me badly constipated to the point I was in agony. I swore I wouldn't take it this time. I take seven seas pregnancy vitamins with 21 vits in them and they have been fine. I felt great when I was taking them. Just started again yesterday so hopefully they'll make me feel a bit less sluggish x

OP posts:

TheScenicRoute · 07/12/2014 20:56

I did :)

Tatatata1990 · 08/01/2017 22:20

Hi, can I drink pregnancy care vitamins with extra folic acid and D vitamins separate? Thank u

Heartyyy30 · 31/01/2018 13:11

Hi! Is it ok to take 5mg of Folic Acid while I'm pregnant? I'm 22 years old and it is my first baby.

gryffen · 31/01/2018 16:22

Yeah hearty it's fine.

I'm on 5mg of folic and seperate Vitamin D and I have pernicious anemia do I get b12 injections every 2 months.

We get Healthy start vitamins in Scotland that is Folic 4mg and Vitamin D - and I take that on other days instead of Folic 5mg.

Intelinside · 31/01/2018 18:29

I took both 5mg + pregnacare multivit w/ folic acid

PumpkinPatch000 · 31/01/2018 19:25

I'm super confused. i'm taking pregnacare max.. do you think that's okay?

soph2123 · 17/05/2018 15:56

Hi I'm 5 weeks pregnant, only symptoms I've got is sore breasts and I am hungry all day long I don't know what to eat to stop getting hungry and I drink plenty of water this is my first pregnancy before I found out I was pregnant the doctors gave me 5mg of folic acid and I rang the doctors to see if I could still take them but the women on the reception said I could, do I still take them or wait to see my midwife

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