As soon as I found out that we were expecting our first bundle of joy, I made my way over to the pharmacy and spent about an hour reading over the different prenatal vitamins. We went with Materna - but am I now discovering that we may have wasted our money? A new report has been made by NHS UK that states that pregnancy vitamins are "unnecessary expenses" and will not improve the health of baby or mom. What!?
There has been new research completed by a large panel of experts that were investigating the evidence on folic acid, iron, vitamin D, C, E and A as well as multivitamins in pregnancy. It turns out that they have discovered that pregnant women should focus on taking the single vitamins recommended, rather than the maternal multivitamins.
The pregnancy multivitamins contain 20 or more different vitamins and minerals that had no evidence of benefiting pregnancies whatsoever. It was still found though, that vitamin D helps to absorb calcium for both and tooth formation and folic acid reduces the risk of spina bifida.
So it turns out that pregnant women may have fallen into a marketing scheme. Are you taking prenatal or maternal vitamins just because the package says to? You could just be taking a Vitamin D and Folic Acid supplement, so that your body is not taking in too many of the other vitamins.
After reading this information, would you take prenatal vitamins during your next pregnancy? Did you take prenatal vitamins during your last pregnancy?
Photo credit: Cristina Souza
Yes but my second pregnancy the vitamins were free! Also there is a rumour about no point in Vitamin D drops for kids as well?
i did not take vitamins. Its true that its not necessary and also connected with big size of babies. Vit D for infant is important but if you deliver in sunny season you do not have to bother. Only winter babies should get for few month.
Well it can't hurt, and Sobey's Baby Program supplies them free...