What Prenatal Vitamins Help You Get Pregnant

What Happens If You Dont Take Prenatal Vitamins

Taking prenatal vitamins before pregnancy can help prevent miscarriages, defects, and preterm labor. If youre not taking prenatal vitamins, neural tube defects can appear:

• Anencephaly: This occurs when the babys skull and brain doesnt form correctly. Babies that are born with anencephaly dont survive.
• Spina bifida: This occurs when the spine does not form correctly and the baby may have physical disabilities.

Now that we have addressed one of the most asked questions, What happens if you dont take prenatal vitamins?, we can move on to the next section: When to take prenatal vitamins.

Risks Of Taking Supplements

While most vitamins are sold over the counter, theyre not necessarily risk-free. Many supplements can negatively interact with medications you may already be taking, causing unpleasant side effects or aggravating existing health conditions.

Though it may sound far-fetched to overdose on vitamins, its also possible to take in excessive doses to the point of harm. Some micronutrients have set tolerable upper intake levels meaning the amount you can consume before experiencing adverse effects.

To avoid overstepping these bounds, follow dosage instructions on the supplements label, and always consult your doctor before beginning a new vitamin or supplement.

Its also important to note that the Food and Drug Administration does not monitor or regulate vitamins or supplements for quality like it does for medications. Quality may not be consistent from batch to batch. This is why finding a reputable brand is so important.

When Do I Need To Start Taking Prenatal Vitaminsand For How Long

Ideally you should start taking them as soon as you start trying to conceive, Dr. Ruiz says. Your baby will need those extra nutrients from the moment of conception, Dr. Ruiz explains.

Continue to take the vitamins throughout your pregnancy and afterward, for as long as you’re breastfeeding, he advises.

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Can Taking Prenatal Vitamins Help You Get Pregnant

Im sure you already know the wonderful benefits of prenatal vitamins.

They are one of the simplest to make sure you and your baby are off to the best possible start.

They do a thorough job at bridging any nutritional gaps you might have in your diet.

This helps ensure that both of you are well taken care of and free from harmful nutrient deficiencies.

Prenatal vitamins are best utilized before, during, and after pregnancy.

The reason theyre so useful before getting pregnant is because they set you up with the proper amount of vitamins and minerals and safeguard you against any deficiencies.

That being said could they help you get pregnant in the first place?

Lets take a look!

Do Prenatal Vitamins Have Side Effects

A lot of people wonder about about prenatal vitamins side effects. Some people get nauseated or constipated from taking prenatal vitamins. If this happens to you, talk with your doctor about changing brands or the types of vitamins youre taking.

Prenatal vitamins come in tablets or capsules, so finding the kind that works best with your body can help ease side effects. Your doctor or midwife can help you find a prenatal vitamin that will work best for your body.

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Other Foods Known To Increase The Likelihood Of Conceiving Twins

Besides the foods with enough vitamins to help get pregnant with twins, there are others with different nutrients but all of which contribute to the likelihood of conceiving twins. These foods include the following

• Cassava

While cassava has not been listed on some lists as a food for increasing chances of having twins due to a lack of scientific evidence, it has been used in many cases by people who aim for the same result. This root is associated with hyperovulation and can be taken as food, cassava pills and supplements.

• Dairy products

The consumption of dairy products in large amounts has been linked to giving birth to twins. While most dairy products such as milk have a good amount of vitamin B complexes , there are also other reasons.

First, dairy products are known to increase the production of the insulin growth factor which is a type of protein. This protein has a significant role in the production of multiple mature eggs during the menstrual cycle.

Secondly, consuming a lot of dairy products has the effect of making the ovaries more sensitive to hormones that take part in the menstrual cycle. This increases the chances of giving birth to twins.

• Yams

Yam is a type of root similar to cassava. It is associated with inducing hyperovulation since it has the progesterone hormone and phytoestrogens chemicals. You can find yams in African and Asian markets.

• Pineapple core

• Maca root

• Magnesium and calcium supplements

Do Vitamins Have Other Benefits

Taking a prenatal vitamin not only helps you prepare for conception and pregnancy, it also helps you receive more than the minimum amount of vitamins and minerals necessary to prevent deficiency diseases.

Many of us do not get the all the required vitamins and minerals we need from our diet. Even when we eat a healthy balanced diet it is hard to get everything we need to prevent disease, let alone achieve optimal health.

Whilst taking a supplement is not a replacement for eating a healthy balanced diet, supplements can provide you with key nutrients that are hard to get from food.

Mark Hyman, MD a practicing physician and a pioneer in functional medicine said 92% of the population in the U.S. are deficient in one or more vitamins, when asked if we need vitamins or not, he said…

Mark goes on to say “In today’s world, everyone needs a basic multivitamin and mineral supplement. The research is overwhelming on this point“.

Morning sickness relief – According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, taking a supplement with vitamin B6 can also help combat morning sickness symptoms.21

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What Impacts My Fertility

There are a lot of factors that contribute to your fertility. You and your partners age, medical history, and family history are top factors to consider when thinking about how long it will take you to get pregnant. For a healthy woman in her 20s or early 30s, the chance of conceiving each month is 25%-30%.

Here are lifestyle factors you can control when trying to conceive:

Can Prenatal Vitamins Help You Get Pregnant

Despite what your high school health class probably made it sound like, getting pregnant often isnt as simple as it seems. Many couples struggle with infertility and are looking for anything that can help them conceive. There is some confusion surrounding whether prenatal vitamins can help women get pregnant. While one study showed that women taking prenatal vitamins were more likely to get pregnant while undergoing fertility treatments than women taking folic acid only, most studies have not demonstrated any difference in your chances of conception. However, taking a prenatal vitamin when you are trying to conceive is important in order to support a healthy pregnancy. The right time to start taking a prenatal vitamin is before you start trying to conceive. Women who are hoping to boost their fertility may benefit from using a fertility enhancement supplement.

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What You Should Look For In A Prenatal Vitamin

Now that we know the importance of beginning prenatal vitamins as early as possible, let’s take a look at what you should be looking for in a prenatal vitamin and why.

NOTE: Each of the vitamins and minerals below have an RDI value. RDIs are provided for vitamins and minerals for pregnant and lactating women and can be found on the ‘Supplement Facts’ label on the bottle. The value is what your body should be getting from all sources , it is not necessarily the value that should be in a prenatal vitamin alone. For example, the RDI for vitamin A is 8000 IU, and you may get half of this from your diet and half from a supplement.

Why Prenatal Vitamins

Did you know that the lack of certain vitamins, minerals and nutrients in your body can cause infertility? When you dont have all the necessary nutrients in your diet that your body requires, you could experience irregular periods and ovulation problems as a result.

So basically, if youre trying to get pregnant, taking prenatal vitamins everyday will improve the odds.

The vital organs of a developing baby usually form within the first ten weeks of pregnancy .

Doctors usually recommend using prenatal pills once you decide to get pregnant because they contain essential vitamins, nutrients and minerals that will support a developing baby.

Most times, women have nutritional deficiencies that could prevent them for conceiving or having healthy babies and prenatal vitamins help to take care of those deficiencies in order to ensure positive results and healthy pregnancies.

So basically, prenatal vitamins safeguard your body for a healthy reproductive system.

The Reproductive BioMedicine Online journal conducted a study in 2011 and found that women who are undergoing fertility treatments are more likely to conceive when they take a prenatal multivitamin supplement every day as compared to those who dont.

They study found that 60 percent of the women were pregnant three months later and three-fourths of them got pregnant on the first cycle of their fertility treatment. These women were also more likely to have fewer fertility treatments than others.

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What Is Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. It also helps your bodys nerves, muscles and immune system work. Your immune system protects your body from infection. Vitamin D helps your babys bones and teeth grow.

During pregnancy, you need 600 IU of vitamin D each day. You can get this amount from food or your prenatal vitamin. Good sources of vitamin D include:

• Fatty fish, like salmon
• Milk and cereal that has vitamin D added to it

Centrum Prenatal + Dha

If you find you’re vitamin D deficient, you may want to seek vitamins that include a little extra , or make sure you’re getting enough of it from other sources like fatty fishes. These Centrum prenatal vitamins fit the bill and include 600 IU of vitamin D.

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We Do Know That The Micronutrients In Prenatal Vitamins Can Support A Healthy Pregnancy*

Micronutrients play important roles for a whole range of physiological processes, including reproductive function and theres no shortage of lab studies on how micronutrients may affect processes that are crucial to conception. One prenatal micronutrient in particular, folate, is backed by decades of lab research as well as real-world effectiveness.

Multiple randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy of supplementation of folate’s synthetic form, folic acid, for supporting fetal neural tube development.* In fact, in the mid-1980s, researchers started running a study on folic acid supplementation around the time of conception, spanning 33 centers and seven countries. Their goal was to study 2,000 people, but they ended up stopping the study early because folic acid supplementation had such a large positive effect they thought it was only right to give it to all participants. That’s when it was first discovered just how crucial folate is for fetal neurodevelopment.*

These findings spurred the creation of mandatory food-fortification campaigns. Folic acid began getting added to things like grains, whole grains, cereal, and flour in the US in 1996, and a decade later, the World Health Organization and United Nations published guidelines to help countries determine their folic acid fortification strategies. After folic acid enrichment of grains was mandated in the US, the prevalence of infants born with neural tube defects decreased by 36%.

The Modern Fertility Prenatal Vitamin

If you’re prepping your body for pregnancy or you’re already pregnant, the Modern Fertility Prenatal Multivitamin is a science-backed way to get essential nutrients on board. It includes all of ACOG’s recommended nutrients, except for calcium. Why was calcium left out? Many prenatal multivitamins actually don’t have calcium that’s because calcium can block the absorption of iron and supplementation maxes out at ~500 mg. Both of these factors can make it difficult to put calcium alongside other nutrients in a prenatal. Instead, Modern Fertility opted for the calcium booster vitamin D.*

On top of 10 ACOG-recommended nutrients, the Prenatal Multi also has zinc and biotin. Zinc is essential for healthy fetal growth, and can be up to 50% deficient in vegetarians.* Biotin aids in converting food into energy, and a third of pregnant people are deficient.*

Whether it’s through fertility essentials or myth-busting articles like this one, Modern Fertility is always here for you as you think about your present or future chances of conception.

This article was reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Conti, MD, MS, MSc.

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Get Flu And Whooping Cough Vaccinations

Some infections, such as rubella , can harm your baby if you catch them during pregnancy.

Most people in the UK are immune to rubella, thanks to the uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination.

If you have not had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine, or you’re not sure if you have, ask your GP surgery to check your vaccination history.

If you have not had both doses or there’s no record available, you can have the vaccinations at your GP surgery.

You should avoid getting pregnant for 1 month after having the MMR vaccination, which means you’ll need a reliable method of contraception.

Supplements All Women Trying To Get Pregnant Should Take

A prenatal vitamin should be taken before you become pregnant, not just when you find out that you are having a baby. Along with prenatal vitamins, there are additional supplements that may improve your fertility health and help with conception. But it is best to start taking supplements a few months or more before conception, since it may take a few months to get their full benefits. There are so many supplements available. But to keep things simple, here are six that have the best chance of giving your fertility a boost and increase your chance of having a baby.

Co Enzyme Q 10:

Is the source of fuel for mitochondria and is needed for the basic functioning of cells. Our recommendation: If you are up to 37 years old take 200-400 mg and if you are over 37 years old take 400-600 mg.

Vitamin D3

Studies have shown that despite taking a prenatal vitamin, women were still low in Vitamin D. There is typically not enough Vitamin D added to a prenatal pill so it is important to check. Low Vitamin D levels in early life is linked to schizophrenia, diabetes and skeletal disease. Appropriate levels of Vitamin D intake can prevent or reduce depression, dementia, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders. Our recommendation: Take 2,000-3,000 IU daily.

Folic Acid:

Selenium:

Preliminary studies have shown that this supplement may help prevent miscarriage. Selenium is an antioxidant and protects cells from damage. Our recommendation: Take 200 mg daily.

Vitamin E:

Herbs:

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What Is The Difference Between Multivitamins And Prenatal Vitamins

Most people are aware that nutrient supplementation is important, but not everyone knows the difference between multivitamins and prenatal vitamins. Both contain important vitamins and minerals, but they are formulated quite differently. Multivitamins are formulated to contain the proper amount of vitamins and minerals for adults and may be different for men and women. However, the nutritional needs of pregnant women are substantially different than those of other adults. Prenatal vitamins are designed to meet the nutritional needs of pregnant women and can also be used postpartum to support lactation. Pregnant women need much higher amounts of folate, iron, and calcium compared to other adults, and standard multivitamins do not provide these vitamins and minerals in the amount required for fetal development. While prenatal vitamins supply certain vitamins, minerals, and nutrients in higher quantities than standard multivitamins, they are still not a substitute for eating a healthy diet.

How Do Prenatal Vitamins Increase Your Chances Of Conception

Prenatal vitamins have actually been shown to improve fertility according to a 2011 study.15

In the study, women undergoing ovulation induction were allocated to either receive multiple micronutrients or only folic acid. The study found that the women taking a combination of micronutrients had a significantly higher pregnancy rate , compared with those using only folic acid supplementation . Promoting efficient energy metabolism, antioxidant release and healthy organs is the proposed mechanism for this improvement.

Folic acid is also an essential nutrient that is required to form red blood cells and produce DNA, the building block of your eggs and the human body.16

Our data shows that you are 30% more likely to conceive when taking a prenatal vitamin.

As mentioned, in a recent survey we conducted, only 32% of women trying to conceive were taking a prenatal vitamin. Of nearly ten thousand recorded pregnancies, 30% more women were taking a prenatal vitamin than not.

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Give You Said Nutrients In The Recommended Dose

High doses of some vitamins and minerals can be harmful to your baby. But those handy little prenatal vitamins contain the recommended amounts of everything talk about convenience. Yet, youve still got to be smart about your intake. While prenatal vitamins do contain the recommended dose of nutrients, if you take more than the advised amount of vitamins well, you do the math. Just stick to what the packet or your doctor says.