Prenatal vitamins

Introduced in the 1970’s, prenatal vitamins are supplements that contain daily vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids to aid in fulfilling the dietary requirements of a pregnant woman and her growing baby. In comparison to a typical multivitamin, prenatal vitamins contain folic acid, iron and other key nutrients in higher amounts, all of which aid in a baby’s development and growth. Folic acid, a key ingredient, helps in the prevention of major birth defects of brain and spine development, known as neural tube defects. While many women have given birth to healthy babies without prenatal vitamins, research shows that taking a prenatal vitamin daily greatly decreases the chance of having a baby with birth defects and/or developmental delays. Of course, everyone is different in their response to taking supplements or medications, and prenatal vitamins are no exception to this. For one, these vitamins can sometimes exacerbate GI disturbances, so take them with meals. Besides, drinking plenty of water, taking fiber or taking a stool softener can also be beneficial to counteract the constipating effect iron has on bowel movements.