prenatal vitamins

Is it dangerous to take these indefinitely? I am not interested, nor trying, to get pregnant---are there any health risks to taking them?

Sun. Oct 1, 1:15pm

no it is not dangerous yes you can take them even if you are not trying to get pregnant. I have read some studies that say it is good for all women to take this type of viatimin. A prenatal vitamin has extra folic acid and extra calcium... very good for any female!

Sunday, October 1, 2006, 1:20 PM

If there's even the slightest possibility that you might get pregnant, you should be taking them. You should have a good supply of folic acid already present in your body BEFORE you get pregnant for the health of the baby - - and, of course, continue to take the vitamins if/when you do become pregnant.

Sunday, October 1, 2006, 1:41 PM

I take prenatal vitamins and I am most definitely not trying to get pregnant. Like the above poster said, they have things that are good for ALL women in them.

Sunday, October 1, 2006, 3:30 PM

especially good to take

even AFTER pregnancy... if you are nursing or recovering from pregnancy, you still need the good vitamins... and plus you could get pregnant again...

Sunday, October 1, 2006, 4:24 PM

I would not and the reason is that prenatal vitamins are often high in Vitamin A (something a nursing mother needs) which can cause birth defect when it is taken in too high a concentration while trying to conceive. Also make sure that in the supplement you take that a good chunk of the vit A is in the form of beta carotene and not pre-formed. Vit A is actually something most americans get enough of since it is readily available in meat, fish dairy, fortified cereals, eggs and in most fruits and vegetables. Instead I take a folic acid supplement and a calcium supplement on their own. I am a bit of a vitammin junkie so I actually take several others too, but I am pretty careful to research my needs and evaluate them next to what I already get from my diet instead of just ingesting a large amount because, although your body is generally good at taking care of itself, some substances can build up to the point where they are no longer beneficial and can actually have negative side effects. All things in moderation.

Sunday, October 1, 2006, 4:28 PM

I have been taking prenatals for years. And my levels is everything are completely normal, I get complete blood work done 2x year.

Sunday, October 1, 2006, 5:55 PM

What about flax seed oil supplements and fish oil supplements? Does anyone advocate (or the opposite) them?

Sunday, October 1, 2006, 9:34 PM

4:28 poster again to the 9:34 poster. Flax seed oil one type of Omega-3 that is slowly converted by your body into other useful faty acids and it's only danger over fish oil is that it can increase chances of prostrate cancer (mostly for men), so I prefer to take a supplement of Omega-3's and Omega-6 distilled from fish oil which is more readily absorbed and do not need to be converted. However make sure if you are using a fish oil source for Omega-3's where the manufacturer stresses low-mercury fish. Also many Omega-3 supplements contain vitamins A and D which you can get too much of so make sure you look at that label.

The following link is to the wikipedia entry for Omega-3's which lists benefits, dangers and sources. It's a little long but it's good reading.

Link

Monday, October 2, 2006, 12:39 AM

Funny... prenatals can cause birth defects. Are you kidding!

Monday, October 2, 2006, 4:28 PM

12:39 poster again - not kidding. Here is a link to the effects of too much vit A. This information may also be found by googling 'vitamin poisoning' (a term that strikes me as incredibly over-dramatic, but not kidding about that either ;-) ).

...And the chances of birth defects due to excess vit A are statistically quite small, but since the op asked and that happens to be the reason I decided against taking them I responded. Somehow even a small chance seems too large when it's your body and not a medical study.

Link

Monday, October 2, 2006, 6:18 PM

NEED A ANSWER!!

IM TRYING TO GET PREGNANT... TAKING PRENANTAL VITAMINS WILL IT INCREASE MY CHANCES?

Sunday, December 24, 2006, 2:58 PM

Double check with your doctor and the prescription. Most likely it's fine to take them indefinately. I've been taking my prescribed prenatal vitamins for nearly 2 years and I have no plans on stopping; I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE what they do for my skin, hair and nails. For the first time in my life, my skin is radiant, long thick hair and unbreakable nails. Oh my, can one be addicted to prenatal pills??? LOL

Sunday, December 24, 2006, 4:51 PM

No (to the Dec 24th poster)

Just taking prenatals will not effect your chances of getting pregnant. Vitamins have nothing to do with sperm and egg.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006, 3:45 PM

Would my prenatals be good for my husband.

I have a hard time w/ my husband trying to get him to take his vitamins. So instead I've opted for both of us to take pre natals before we go to bed. I herad that they were also very good for men. Is it true? Are they good for him or should he go back to his vitamins? Thanks.

Monday, September 3, 2007, 10:26 AM

im am taking prenatal vitamins i have ms and taking fish oil pills for mychol is that ok but my white blood cells is low what can i do but a have to get it check again in two weeks

Sunday, June 7, 2009, 2:47 PM

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