If you’re pregnant, then you already know the importance of taking a prenatal vitamin; it’s just about the first thing the nurse will tell you when you call to schedule your first pregnancy appointment. If you’re not expecting, there are reasons you might be wondering if you can take prenatal vitamins when you’re not pregnant. Maybe you’re hoping to get some of the shiny hair and strong nails common among pregnant women (sorry to burst your bubble, but that’s more due to hormones than it is vitamins) or maybe you think if it’s safe for pregnancy, it’s safe for you too. Show
Here, we spoke to two OB/GYNs on what happens if you take prenatal vitamins when you’re not pregnant. Can I take prenatal vitamins if I’m not pregnant?First things first, there is one very good reason you would choose to take prenatals when you’re not pregnant, and that’s if you’re hoping to become pregnant within the next three or so months. “Prenatal vitamins are safe to take when not pregnant, and it is in fact desired to start prenatals prior to pregnancy,” Monique Brotman, board-certified OB/GYN, tells Romper. However, if you’re not pregnant, and you’re not breastfeeding or trying to conceive, there’s no real reason why it would make sense to take these supplements, though it’s probably basically safe (barring some rare events). Side effects of taking prenatals while pregnant“Prenatal vitamins are specifically formulated for pregnant women, breastfeeding women, or for women who are trying to conceive,” Kecia Gaither, MD, MPH, FACOG, double board-certified in OB/GYN and Maternal Fetal Medicine tells Romper. She says the three main nutrients a prenatal usually has is folic acid, calcium, and iron (some skip iron because it can be tough on the stomach). “Women who aren't within the above named categories [TTC, pregnant, nursing] should consult with their physicians as to whether supplementation of these specific nutrients is required, based on underlying comorbidities,” Gaither says. “As a general rule, unless you aren’t within the cohort so mentioned, you should be acquiring all the needed nutrients from a healthy diet. High levels of certain nutrients over a protracted period of time may be more harmful than helpful.” For example, and this is rare, but if you’re not pregnant, getting too much folic acid could potentially mask signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency. If you’re not eating a lot, and thinking the prenatal will supply you with the nutrients you need, you’ll quickly find yourself lacking is essential nutrients, as even prenatals contain only a fraction of the nutritional needs you need per day. On the flipside, (and this is why it’s not recommended that pregnant women take two prenatals the next day if they accidentally forget to take it the day before) taking too many could result in stomach trouble, especially for fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E and K) which are found in prenatals. d3sign/Moment/Getty Images Benefits of prenatal vitamins“Prenatal vitamins help with overall health and wellness making sure that all essential vitamins and minerals are ingested,” Brotman tells Romper. While you don’t need a prenatal vitamin if you’re not pregnant, nursing, or trying to conceive, there are big benefits to taking prenatals daily if you are. “In order to reduce the risk of having a child with neural tube defects, it is advised that women who are trying to become pregnant take 400-800 micrograms of the [folic acid] daily,” Gaither tells Romper. Iron supports the development of the placenta, and Gaither says the recommended intake of iron is 27 mg per day. “It's important in the production of red blood cells, and too little reserve can result in iron deficiency anemia.” As for calcium, she says that it’s important forbone development in the fetus and pregnant women require about 1000 mg/day. You may notice your prenatal only has 200 or 300 mg which is because the rest of the daily requirement should be met through diet. If you accidentally buy prenatals and you’re not pregnant or you have some leftover from when you were pregnant, you’re probably wondering if you can take prenatals when you’re not pregnant. It’s not the end of the world to take them, but you won’t get any real benefit other than what you would from any other vitamin. Plus, prenatals are often more expensive than their counterparts, so it just doesn’t really make sense. Experts: Kecia Gaither, MD, MPH, FACOG, double board-certified in OB/GYN and Maternal Fetal Medicine Monique Brotman, board-certified OB/GYN Pregnancy + Parenthood 4 min read On paper, the answer should be pretty straightforward: Take a prenatal multivitamin when pregnant or
trying, and a regular multivitamin when not. But we also know it’s not always so cut and dried—especially if you’ve heard some buzz about taking prenatal multivitamins because of certain additional nutrients they often contain (like biotin, for example).* The short answer: If you believe your nutrient needs
might be different than the norm, then it’s best to check in with your primary care physician or ob-gyn to talk about your options. Otherwise, read ahead—we’ll clear some things up about taking a prenatal multivitamin when someone is not pregnant (including if they've recently given birth).* First, it’s helpful to understand the potential nutrient
differences between a women's multivitamin and a prenatal multivitamin—so let’s do a side-by-side comparison of our Essential for Women multivitamin and our Essential Prenatal multivitamin as an example. Our Essential for Women
multivitamin contains 9 nutrients designed to help fill gaps in the diet, while our Essential Prenatal contains 12 nutrients to help support pregnancy. Some of these nutrients overlap: For example, both multivitamins are formulated with
omega-3 DHA, vitamin B12, vitamin D3, and folate, in
addition to a few others.* But then there are a few key differences, since some nutrient needs change when growing a human. For example, many pregnant people do not consume the recommended amount of choline, so we included it in our prenatal multivitamin. We also added
iodine, since the recommended amount of iodine increases during pregnancy. Our third addition to our prenatal multivitamin: biotin, because scientific evidence suggests that higher biotin
intake may be needed to meet the requirement for pregnancy.* In some cases, we need the same nutrients as we do before pregnancy, but at different levels. For example, our Essential Prenatal is formulated with more DHA per serving, since
this specific omega-3 fatty acid plays a role for both mother and baby. We also include more iron because pregnancy comes with a higher demand for it. And our prenatal multivitamin has more
folate, which supports neural tube development during pregnancy. As a reminder, folic acid is a synthetic form of folate found in many supplements—but folic acid isn't always an ideal form of folate for the body to efficiently utilize. Since up to one-third of people have genetic variations that make it difficult
to efficiently utilize folic acid, we opted to use a form called 5-MTHF, which is a bioavailable form for the body to use.* We recommend switching to our Essential Prenatal when pregnant, thinking about getting pregnant, or actively trying for a baby. A good rule to shoot for is
three months ahead, so that people can be already taking a prenatal multivitamin during the early weeks of pregnancy (before they might even know that they're pregnant). Outside of pregnancy needs, we recommend sticking with Essential for Women unless otherwise directed by a doctor, since it was specifically
formulated to help fill gaps that many women experience in their diets. Let’s talk about biotin as an example: Many women can meet their biotin needs through diet alone, since it’s found in a wide range of foods like eggs, avocado, beef, and yeast.* Recently gave birth? Then consider making a different multivitamin
switch—from a prenatal multivitamin to a postnatal multivitamin. The truth is nutrient demands change again after birth, especially if breastfeeding. Our Essential Postnatal was formulated with 15 nutrients to support postpartum nutrition for
6 months (or during lactation).* Another common question is iron. Our Essential for Women contains 8 mg per serving of iron, while our Essential Prenatal contains 18 mg per serving.
And while it’s true that some non-pregnant people may need more iron than others (due to vegan and other restrictive diets, as well as certain conditions), we recommend consulting with a healthcare provider to determine how to go about supplementation for specific needs before making the switch to a prenatal multivitamin.* Bottom line? It's pretty simple: Take prenatal multivitamins if
pregnant or planning to be pregnant—and switch to a postnatal multivitamin if recently given birth. If neither, a quality daily multivitamin may be the way to go. And for all of the above, don't forget to lead with a mostly-healthy, balanced diet.* Dr. Mastaneh Sharafi, PhD, RD, VP of Scientific Affairs at Ritual Dr. Mastaneh Sharafi has a PhD in Nutritional Sciences and is a Registered Dietitian. She received her training from Penn State University and University of Connecticut where she researched dietary patterns, chemosensory perception and community nutrition. Her dietetic work is focused on promoting healthy eating habits by translating the science of nutrition into practical information for the public.  Dr. Mastaneh Sharafi, PhD, RD, VP of Scientific Affairs at Ritual Dr. Mastaneh Sharafi has a PhD in Nutritional Sciences and is a Registered Dietitian. She received her training from Penn State University and University of Connecticut where she researched dietary patterns, chemosensory perception and community nutrition. Her dietetic work is focused on promoting healthy eating habits by translating the science of nutrition into practical information for the public. Meet the AuthorVictoria Hoff, Writer Victoria Hoff is an accomplished writer, journalist, and former wellness editor who has covered a wide variety of health, nutrition, and wellness topics during her tenure. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts from New York University, and after writing for Vogue, Elle, Byrdie, The/Thirty, and more, channeled her editorial skills into a marketing career.
Victoria Hoff, Writer Victoria Hoff is an accomplished writer, journalist, and former wellness editor who has covered a wide variety of health, nutrition, and wellness topics during her tenure. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts from New York University, and after writing for Vogue, Elle, Byrdie, The/Thirty, and more, channeled her editorial skills into a marketing career. ShareMultivitamin New Gut Health Protein Pregnancy |
Is it ok to take prenatal vitamins without being pregnant
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