how to choose pre-natal vitamins?

[cdlamis]

We will be TTC (can't believe I am actually saying that already!) within the next few months and I would like to start on pre-natal vitamins. But it seems like they all have different ingredients/nutrients and different daily percentages. What should I be looking for? I know I need calcium and folic acid but in what ammounts?

A pre-natal vitamin I saw at Trader Joe's today had like 500% of the
receommended daily intake for some nutrients. Isn't that bad? I have looked on websites like Dr. Sears but can't find any real recommendations.

Any suggestions? TIA!

Daniella
Mom to Julia 6-13-02
http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=...21b35d0802848f *December pictures

[egoldber]

Honestly, my OB recommends taking a regular multi-vitamin plus a folic acid supplement. And I also take a calcium supplement since I have a family history of osteoporosis.

[JenaW]

I work in OB, and do the same thing Beth's OB says...a regular multivit plus folic acid, or even a generic prenatal vit. Target makes a great one. Just make sure you have 1mg of folic acid.


Jera
Mom to Carter ~ 05.13.03

[cara1]

Most prescribed pre-natal vitamins are huge, chalky, and hard to swallow, and can make preggos nauseated. I recently discovered Prenate-GT (geltab). It's coated, so it goes down super-easy, isn't chalky, and doesn't cause nausea. I'm so glad I started taking this! Plus, Prenate (I don't know if others have it, too) has a stool softener built-in, which helps counteract the constipating effects of the iron. HTH.

[amp]

My prenatal vitamins were prescribed by my OB. Prior to that, I just used a regular multivitamin that had the right amt. of folic acid (at least according to something I read once that told how much I needed to take prior to pregnancy).

[peanut4us]

Loved those... they were the only ones that didn't make me yack!

[kristine_elen]

You're right, too much of a vitamin can be bad. Here's info from FDA on Vitamin A, for example, and its link to birth defects. I was amazed at how many prenatal vitamins on the market have WAY too much Vitamin A. I took PrimaCare, prescribed by my OB.

Oct. 6, 1995 (202) 205-4144
VITAMIN A AND BIRTH DEFECTS
The forthcoming New England Journal of Medicine article on
the possible relationship between the consumption of vitamin A at
levels at, or above, 10,000 IU (200% of the Daily Value, or DV)
or 3000 Retinol equivalents (REs) and some types of birth defects
raises serious public health concerns. A relationship between
vitamin A intakes and birth defects has been known for some time,
but the level of vitamin A that was associated with earlier
studies was much higher than the levels indicated by the new
study.
As a precautionary measure, FDA has several recommendations
for women of child-bearing age relative to consuming foods
containing vitamin A, including dietary supplements.
First, the form of vitamin A that is of concern is pre-
formed vitamin A. Pre-formed vitamin A is found in animal
products, primarily liver, and also may be added to fortified
foods such as breakfast cereals and dietary supplements.
(Examples of pre-formed vitamin A include retinyl palmitate and
retinyl acetate, which are found in the products' ingredient
-more-

Page 2, T95-56 Vitamin A
listings.) Women need to limit their intakes to about 100% of
the DV for pre-formed vitamin A from these sources of this
nutrient.
On the other hand, beta-carotene is a substance found
naturally in plants, and it can be converted to vitamin A in the
body. It is considerably less toxic than the pre-formed vitamin
A. Therefore, women of child-bearing age are advised to choose
fortified foods that contain vitamin A in the form of beta-
carotene rather than pre-formed vitamin A, whenever possible.
The vitamin A in fruits and vegetables is naturally in the form
of beta-carotene, and high intakes of vitamin A from these
sources is generally not of concern.
Finally, vitamin A is an essential nutrient and, as with all
nutrients, the good health of women throughout child-bearing
years, including during pregnancy, is dependent on consuming
needed amounts of this nutrient. Taking too little vitamin A can
result in adverse effects just as can taking in too much. The
key is in finding the "right amount" through carefully reading
product nutrition labeling.
####

[stillplayswithbarbies]

if those are the purple ones, they are the ones that DID make me yack!

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[Tondi G]

I take the Citrical Prenatal vitamin.... i tried a sample from my Ob and it didn't upset my tummy.... I've been taking them for almost 3 years now.... and they also have a stool softener as well! My neighbor had tried 5 different ones and they all made her sick except the citrical I recommended to her!!!!

Here is a link to the site for them... has all the info and what it includes!

http://www.citracalprenatalrx.com/index.htm

I really like them..... your Ob can give you a prescription!

Oh I wanted to add..... I started out taking prenatals by a company called Rainbow light.... bought at Whole foods. It is a great vitamin and they now offer a 1 a day.... when I took em you had to power down 6 vitamins a day!!!!! They also have ginger and red raspberry which are supposed to be great pregnancy herbs!

~Tondi and Mason 7/8/01

[momathome]

Is Prenate-GT an OTC or do you need a prescription??? Every vitamin I tried during my first 2 pregnancies made me very sick. I feel like I am very lucky that my girls turned out ok because I swear I was not able to absorb any amount of vitamin into my system without throwing up!
-Lauren