Vitamins That Help You Get Pregnant Faster
Can the taking of any type of vitamin or supplement actually help you conceive a child faster than those who dont take vitamins? Can vitamins actually increase your fertility? The answer is yes if you ask experts at the Texas Fertility Center. According to fertility specialists, you need a good nutritional status in order to help your body conceive a child. This seems to hold true of both men and women.
For women, it may mean just taking a good prenatal vitamin. Research has indicated that taking a prenatal vitamin can not only decrease your chances of having a preterm birth and decrease your chances of pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting, but it can maximize your fertility.
In one recent study, women who were trying to get pregnant through fertility treatments got pregnant faster than women who didnt take prenatal vitamins. In fact, the participants who took prenatal vitamins had a doubling of their chances of becoming pregnant when compared to participants who just took folic acid prior to conceiving.
What this means is that it is possible to get pregnant faster if you take a prenatal vitamin, although research hasnt been done on women who arent undergoing fertility treatments and who take a prenatal vitamin. Prenatal vitamins can be purchased over the counter and cant hurt you, even if you take them while not pregnant.
These particular vitamins have the ability to enhance your fertility. You can take them alone or as a part of the total prenatal pill package:
Take A Prenatal Vitamin
A prenatal vitamin is good insurance for you and your future baby. Studies show downing a daily supplement can lower your risk of giving birth prematurely and help with your baby’s development.
But thats not all a prenatal can do. Research has found that women who take prenatal multivitamins also tend to get pregnant faster, so popping a prenatal once a day is always a smart move when youre TTC .
Prenatal Vitamins Vs Fertility Supplements
Prenatal vitamins are taken during pregnancy to support the growth and development of a fetus in the womb. Prenatal vitamins dont improve fertilitythats not what theyre intended to do. While prenatals are recommended for IVF patients, thats because its best to start them about 3 months prior to pregnancy, and IVF patients are typically hoping to get pregnant within that time frame.
PS: The most important ingredient in prenatal vitamins is folic acid or folate, which has been shown in many, many studies to prevent fetal neural tube defects which can be devastating. The reason neural tube defects are so rare in the developed world is almost exclusively due to the widespread use of prenatal vitamins along with folate enrichment in foods like bread and cereal.
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Take Vitamins And Folic Acid
Take a vitamin and mineral supplement that includes at least 0.4 milligrams of folic acid.
- Folic acid reduces the risk of birth defects, especially problems with the baby’s spine.
- Start taking a vitamin with folic acid before you want to get pregnant.
- Avoid high doses of any vitamin, especially vitamins A, D, E, and K. These vitamins can cause birth defects if you take more than the normal recommended daily amounts. Regular pregnancy prenatal vitamins do not have excessively high doses of any vitamin.
When You Decide To Try For A Pregnancy
Ready to start a family? In addition to scheduling a well visit with your gynecologist, quitting birth control, and cutting out unhealthy behaviors like smoking, you should start taking prenatal vitamins.
You wont be able to predict how long it will take you to get pregnant it could be weeks or months and you wont know youve been successful until a few weeks after conception. Prenatal vitamins are an important part of preconception care.
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What Are Fertility Supplements
Fertility supplements are specific medicinal products or substances that, when consumed, help enhance the fertility levels in men and women. These products usually contain minerals, herbs, vitamins, or other amino acids that affect the reproductive system. These are separate from medication since all the constituents of these supplements are natural and do not necessarily require a doctors prescription. Some are generally used as nutritional supplements while others contain specifically designed formula to target the fertility of a particular person. Fertility supplements are not just available for women but men as well. Fertility supplements for men focus on improving sperm health and motility, thereby increasing the chances of them reaching the egg for fertilization.
Why Should I Take Folic Acid
If you have the right level of folic acid in your body before you get pregnant, it reduces the risk of the baby developing neural tube defects by up to 70%. Neural tube defects are problems with the brain or spinal cord, including spina bifida.
Spina bifida is not common but it can cause a wide range of problems for the baby, including:
- problems with movement
- learning difficulties.
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Learn Your Family History
Collecting your familys health history can be important for your childs health. You might not realize that your sisters heart defect or your cousins sickle cell disease could affect your child, but sharing this family history information with your doctor can be important.
Other reasons people go for genetic counseling include having had several miscarriages, infant deaths, trouble getting pregnant , or a genetic condition or birth defect that occurred during a previous pregnancy.
Where Do I Get Folic Acid
Folic acid can be found in lots of branded pre-pregnancy vitamins. These are not harmful but can sometimes be expensive. It is often cheaper to buy folic acid separately rather than buying expensive branded supplements.
Do not take vitamin A supplements or any supplements containing vitamin A, such as liver or fish oil. High doses of Vitamin A can cause developmental problems in the first three months of pregnancy.
If you receive certain benefits or are under 18 you may be eligible for free vitamins when you become pregnant.
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Can You Just Replace Your Daily Multivitamin With A Prenatal
In general, yes! A prenatal multivitamin can replace your everyday multivitamin, but not vice versa. While some prenatals include nutrients that are important whether or not you’re pregnant, generic multis don’t always include enough of the nutrients you’ll need in higher quantities for pregnancy .
Because of the formulation of the Modern Fertility Prenatal Multivitamin, it’s designed to support your body whether you’re pregnant or not and even if you’re still a few months or years out from trying to get pregnant.
If you want to get a leg up on nourishing your body for a future pregnancy, replacing your daily multi with a prenatal can help you fill up those nutritional reserves earlier. Taking a prenatal now, before youre trying to conceive, is a low-cost, low-risk way to get a headstart on a healthy pregnancy no matter when it happens.*
| *This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. |
What Are The Most Important Nutrients In Prenatals Especially For The First Month Of Pregnancy
While its important to have a well-rounded balance of vitamins and nutrients during pregnancy, some are truly MVPs because they actually help your baby form vital organs and body systems, many of which begin developing in the earliest weeks of pregnancy.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists , these are the most important nutrients you need:
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Do Prenatals Improve Chances Of Pregnancy And Boost Fertility
Will prenatal vitamins make you more likely to get pregnant? Find out by reading our detailed guide and get tips to improve your chances of conception naturally.
Youve likely already heard a lot about prenatals, and thats because taking a daily prenatal vitamin is so important for your already developing baby. So you know that theyre good for youbut what goes in a prenatal vitamin? And can prenatals improve your chances of getting pregnant?
Stop Smoking Alcohol And Drugs Limit Caffeine
If you smoke, drink alcohol, or use drugs, you should stop before you get pregnant. They can:
- Make it harder for you to get pregnant
- Increase the chance of miscarriage
If you need help quitting smoking, alcohol, or drugs, talk to your doctor or midwife.
Alcohol can harm a growing fetus , even in small amounts. Drinking alcohol while you are pregnant can cause long-term problems for your baby, such as intellectual disability, behavioral issues, learning disabilities, and facial and heart defects.
Smoking is bad for unborn babies and puts your child at greater risk of health problems later in life.
- Women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have a baby with a lower birth weight.
- Smoking also makes it harder for you to recover from your pregnancy.
Drugs that are not prescribed by a doctor can be dangerous for you to take at any point in your life.
You should also cut down on caffeine when you are trying to get pregnant. Women who daily consume more than 2 cups of coffee or 5 cans of soda that contains caffeine may have a harder time getting pregnant and a greater chance of miscarriage.
Limit unnecessary medicines or supplements. Discuss with your provider about both prescribed and over-the-counter medicines and supplements you take before you try to conceive. Most medicines have some risks, but many have unknown risks and have not been thoroughly studied for safety. If medicines or supplements are not absolutely necessary, do not take them.
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When To Start Taking Prenatal Vitamins
The best time to start taking prenatal vitamins is before conception. Folic acid is especially important. You should begin taking a folic acid supplement at least 1 month before you try to get pregnant to prevent birth defects.
Some doctors recommend that all women who could have a baby take prenatal vitamins, even if they dont plan a pregnancy.
When To Take Prenatal Vitamins
Its best to take the prenatal at the same time every day so you dont forget about it. You can adjust the timing when to take prenatal vitamins to address some of their side effects. For instance, if you have nausea, you can take the vitamin with food.
You can also take them before lunch A prenate pill that consists of iron, calcium, and folic acid is absorbed better if you take it on an empty stomach, as iron cant properly absorb if you have just eaten dairy food.
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The Best Supplements To Take If You’re Trying To Get Pregnant
If you’re the type of person who’s proactive about your healthand you’re strongly considering a babythen you’ve probably spent some time Googling supplements that will help enhance fertility or that will ensure you’re stocked up on the nutrients your baby needs to thrive. But often, these searches result in ultra-long lists of somewhat obscure-sounding nutrients, leaving you wondering: Do I really need all of these? The answer: Everyone’s different, but you probably don’t need to start popping 10 different pills if you’re planning to get pregnant.
Here, we consulted fertility and women’s health experts about the supplements that are appropriate for most women looking to conceive in the near future, plus tips on the most fertility-friendly diet.
Which Vitamin D Products Do You Recommend
Shady Grove Fertility recommends Theralogix, a line of evidence-based, independently tested and certified fertility products for men and women. All Theralogix products are NSF tested for content accuracy, purity, freedom from contaminants, and proper disintegration.
Nutritional supplements can be an important complement to your fertility treatment but they do not replace fertility evaluation and care. You should have your fertility evaluated if you are under 35 years old and have been having unprotected intercourse without conception for 1 year, after 6 months if you are between the ages of 35-39, and after 3 months if you are 40 and over. Women should consult their reproductive endocrinologist before beginning any vitamin regimen.
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How Much Vitamin D Do I Need When Im Trying To Conceive
Pregnant women dont need to take more vitamin D than other people. The recommended daily dosage for a supplement is 10 micrograms .
Even if youre taking vitamin D supplements, you should still try to get outside in the sun and eat foods that contain vitamin D. Just make sure that when youre spending time in the sun you protect your skin to prevent burning.
Should You Take Vitamin Supplements
Its important to get the nutrients you need through a healthy diet, or with the help of supplements if thats what your doctor recommends. For those with specific vitamin deficiencies, taking a supplement may help.
But what if youre not really missing anything nutritionally? Will a vitamin supplement boost your fertility? The answer isnt clear. Some studies say yes, but many have not found that supplements improve fertility factors compared to a placebo. Many studies on micronutrients are also small or not well designed. With that said, below are vitamins and minerals thought to be essential to fertility health.
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How Do I Choose Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins are readily available over the counter and a prescription is generally unnecessary.
If youre concerned about which to choose, dont be. Theres not much difference between over the counter and prescription prenatals, and both are adequate, assures Dr. Nwankwo.
Sometimes prescription prenatals may have special formulationsfor example, they may have a stool softener added to help with constipation, or they may have additional iron. The pills may also be smaller and easier to take. But its not necessary, she says. It also doesnt matter whether you take a tablet or a gummy, just make sure it has the right amount of vitamins you need.
Every vitamin can differ in the types and amounts of nutrients it contains because specific vitamin ingredients arent regulated by the FDA. If the vitamin you choose doesnt contain the full recommended daily amount of a nutrient, be sure to eat foods that are high in that vitamin or mineral.
When shopping for prenatal vitamins look for these four primary nutrients that are especially important during pregnancy, per Dr. Nwankwo and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists):
- Folic acid: 600 mcg
- Iron: 27 mg
- Calcium: 1,000 mg
- Vitamin D: 600 IU
The following vitamins are also essential during pregnancy, and you may not get enough of them through diet alone. Having these in your prenatals are helpful too:
- Vitamin A: 770 mcg
- Vitamin C: 85 mg
- Vitamin B12: 2.6 mcg
- Choline: 450 mg
First Consider What You’re Eating
We can’t talk about supplements without first talking about food. That’s because popping a pill won’t do the maximum amount of good if your overall diet is junk. The good news: Most women don’t need to completely overhaul their diets to optimize fertility.
“Women who are considering pregnancy don’t need a special diet per se, but ensuring that the diet is rich in antioxidants, colorful, and minimally processed is the ideal goal. If a woman is generally in good health, then that should be enough,” says Wendie Trubow, M.D., functional medicine gynecologist.
A good approach: forgoing highly processed carbs and eating an anti-inflammatory Mediterranean-style diet, as several large studies have shown that this way of eating is associated with enhanced fertility. “Even among women undergoing IVF, when you’re essentially overriding their normal hormones, there was an increased rate of conception among women who were eating a Mediterranean diet,” says Victoria Maizes, M.D., executive director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and author of Be Fruitful: The Essential Guide to Maximizing Fertility and Giving Birth to a Healthy Child.
If you wouldn’t describe your current health as “great,” you may want to take your dietary changes a step further. “Some patients who have polycystic ovarian syndrome or autoimmune issues could benefit from a paleo or elimination diet, but that’s individually based,” says Bindiya Gandhi, M.D., functional family medicine physician.
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Choose The Best Fats And Help Your Partner Do The Same
What you eat matters if you want to get pregnant faster. After all, healthy foods not only fuel fertility but also build a healthier baby. But did you know that when it comes to getting pregnant faster, reaching for the right stuff may also help your partner too?
Healthy fats like omega-3s can boost sperm count and motility, while saturated fats can sabotage sperm size and shape, making them less hardy. So dig into some salmon, sardines, leafy greens and walnuts to keep those swimmers in tip-top shape.
What Are The Best Foods To Eat When Trying To Conceive
As studies have found that high levels of insulin appear to inhibit ovulation, it is wise to avoid eating refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, white rice and cakes, which our bodies digest quickly and turn into blood sugar. Instead, stick to more complex good carbs, which contain plenty of fibre, such as wholegrains and beans. These carbs are digested more slowly, having a more stabilising effect on insulin and blood sugar.
When trying for a baby, it is therefore important to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet that has plenty of good quality protein, fruit and vegetables and is low in saturated fats and high in fibre. Lean organic poultry, quinoa, beans, seeds, nuts and tofu provide a healthy source of protein for women trying to conceive.
Can you get all the vitamins you need to get pregnant in your diet?
Even if you are consuming a healthy, nutritional, well-balanced diet, you still may want to take vitamins or fertility supplements to fill in any nutritional gaps in your diet that may help you conceive and, if you do become pregnant, are important for healthy foetal development.
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