Is It OK to Change Prenatal Vitamins While Pregnant?

Receiving adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals during pregnancy is important to the health of the developing fetus. According to the American Pregnancy Association, most women will require a prenatal vitamin.

Dosing

Prenatal vitamins should be started before the woman considers pregnancy and should be taken daily throughout the pregnancy.

Diet

Women who eat a well-balanced diet full of healthy foods such as fruit and vegetables will likely already be getting needed nutrients. However, supplementing with a prenatal vitamin is still recommended.

Type

It is recommended to take prenatal vitamins as one multivitamin rather than multiple vitamins for different minerals and supplements. This helps to ensure the pregnant woman does not ingest an overdose of any mineral.

Change

It is acceptable to change to a different prenatal vitamin during pregnancy. Check with your doctor before changing to ensure that adequate amounts of needed nutrients are included in the new vitamin.

Folic Acid

According to the March of Dimes, pregnant women need at least 400 micrograms of folic acid per day to prevent neural tube defects.

References

• American Pregnancy Association
• March of Dimes