Prenatal Vitamins

[southerner]

DH and I are going to start TTC in a few months and I want to start taking prenatal vitamins. There are so many out there and they all have different side effects. I don't even know where to start, so I figured I'd ask all of you which ones you took/take and what your experiences have been, good and bad.

[jennylou]

I take a prescription of Duet (well, the generic for it anyway!).

You may want to call your doc and ask what she recommends.

[karlatta]

I take a prescription of Natelle Prefer. I love it. It tastes like candy to me. :D

I agree with Jenny's advice - ask your doctor. I don't think it really makes a difference if you're on prescription prenatals, OTC prenatals, or regular vitamins with a folic acid supplement. But your doctor knows your medical history and would be able to give you advice specific to your health and his/her preferences.

[Ericka_Jarett]

I took before Rebekah, Target brand prenatals. Presently I take OneSource complete prenatals from Walmart. Have used this brand since before Rebekah through now. These are much smaller than the Target ones, but you need to take 2 caplets with these. They offer 800 mcg of folic acid as well as all the other vitamins. Doctor said as long as I was getting 800 mcg of folic, it was ok to use them.

I usually take my prenatals with food, so I don't get an upset stomach. I never got the prescription ones as my insurance is $25 a bottle for them, where the OTC were only $6 a bottle. They offer the same nutrients at a fraction of the cost, so doctor said go for it.

[ktdelsur]

I take OTC prenatals from Publix supermarket. They were sufficient enough for me that the doc never put me on prescription prenatals when I got PG. So far, so good - 20 weeks PG today w/ my baby boy. :D

[southerner]

It's good to hear that some of y'all are doing okay with OTC vitamins b/c I'll need to save all the money I can.

What about side effects? That's what I am most worried about.

As far as asking the doctor, I am new to the area and my doctor isn't as familiar with my medical history (and boy do I have one :( ) as I'd like. I mean I told her everything and she has my old files, but she doesn't know me and to be honest I don't know that she thoroughly read ALL of my records. There's a lot of them. She gave me four different types of sample vitamins to try. I just don't know what to be looking for in a prenatal vitamin to find the best "fit" for me.

Sorry I'm all over the place with my questions. I never knew there was so much to know about getting/being pregnant. I just thought I'd get pregnant and things would be salot simpler.

[albuquerque]

I never took prenatals, only Centrum plus a separate calcium supplement, plus TWO additional folic acid supplements. I am taking 1200 micrograms of folic acid, including what's in the Centrum, because I have a family history of spina bifida. The doctor said the Centrum was fine instead of the prenatals. I checked the contents and there's very little difference aside from marketing and COST, the prenatals were outrageously expensive.

Now, after the midpoint in the pregnancy, I tested a bit anemic and now I'm also taking iron supplements. I think this is common in the 2nd/3rd trimesters, when Baby is building her bloodstream and if there isn't enough iron to go around, it comes out of Mom's blood.

[mamax2]

Truthfully, vitamins are vitamins and unless you take something and it doesn't agree w/you, it's probably fine. Some prenatals have extra fatty acids now and I think one or two brands have a stool softener, but unless you have reason to believe you need either of these things, any prenatal will do. I take a regular generic OTC prenatal, although my MW prescribed Prenate. She told me only to fill it if it would be cheaper for me because the brand was irrelevant. Depending upon your insurance plan, an RX *may* be cheaper or may not, just check into that first. If you want an RX, ask the Dr., otherwise, just pick up something at the drugstore.

[amtaylor]

I have a prescription for Natelle EZ. They are suppose to be easy on your system and not have many side-effects. The only time they made me sick was when I took it before breakfast... NEVER do that. I always take them after I eat my bowl of cereal and I'm good to go :)

[junkinmytrunk]

My doc gives me Primacare One, a prescription prenatal. I really like them -- anyone else taking those?

[xine]

This isn't from personal experience, but one of my best friends used the pre-natal vitamins from Whole Foods before and throughout her pregnancy.
She's the type of person that did hours and hours of research when it came to selecting the vitamins, and she really believed that the Whole Foods vitamins were of better quality than the ones her OB provided.

She had a pretty uneventful pregnancy and gave birth to a healthy and happy boy a few months ago.

[jengen]

junk My Dr. just switched me to PrimaCare one...even though it's huge, it goes down easy. I like it, too! :)

[polarama]

I'm not pregnant yet, just getting ready to TTC, so not sure if my doc's advice would be different if I were preg. She said that generics or even taking a regular multivitamin+a folic acid supplement were ok--she just wanted me to get enough folic acid.

I've been taking the Rite Aid generics or the Wegman's generics. I take them at night, before I go to bed, and so far, no side effects.

[QT Pie]

DH and I are TTC and I'm currently taking the Target brand of Pre-Natals. Before that, I was taking the NatureMade ones from Costco, but found them to be so big. I've also tried the ones from Trader Joe's and HATED them. They were bigger than the ones from NatureMade and they had an awful coating on them that made me gag once I put it in my mouth. My doctor said that the generic brands are fine and I'm going to stick to the Target ones for now.

[LLB0526]

I took women's one-a-day vitamins, both before we ttc and during my pregnancy, which both my ob and my dad (who is an ob) said was fine. I think the big issue is your intake of folic acid and women's one-a-day is pretty much the same as most prenatals. As for vitamins making people sick, I think for most vitamins, including prenatals, the biggest way to avoid feeling sick is to make sure that you never take them on an empty stomach. I usually took mine mid-afternoon, after lunch, and never had a problem.

[usafwife]

I've pretty much took OneSource. I didn't have any side effects from the vitamins themselves. I took a store brand before as well.

[alienhost]

I took One-A-Day for women (or the CVS comparative) before we TTC through 12 weeks of pregnancy and then switched to Prenate Elite which the OB prescribed.

[Camdynlyn]

We will be TTC soon. I have prenatals already. I need to check the folic in them! Do I take extra folic and do I take my prenatals instead of my regular vitamins?? I am so clueless.

[amtaylor]

Summer: We were planning on TTC this coming August, so I started taking my prescription prenatals in January... not knowing that I was to get pregnant that month. I think that the sooner you start with the vitamins of any kind the better. My regular vitamin I took before had 400 mcg (0.4 mg) of Folic Acid, whereas my perscription has more (1.0 mg).

Everything I've read recommends that you get at least 400 mcg (0.4 mg) of Folic Acid a day prior to conception and during early pregnancy... as long as your vitamin has that, I'd say you are good to go :)

[Twylla]

We're also just getting ready to TTC. I'm taking the WalMart brand women's one a day vitamin. My doc didn't say anything specific about pre-natals, and they do have the 400 mcg of folic acid reccomended, so I'm running with that for now. But I'll go for one more checlup before starting ttc, so I'll ask my doc again I guess.

[southerner]

oh my goodness :eek: I had no idea there were so many options out there. Thanks for all of your responses ladies. It sounds like the amount of folic acid is what should be the most important thing, am I understanding that correctly?

My doc recommended that I take the sample packets she gave me and if/what my side effects are to determine which was best for me. She gave me two packets of each of the following: Precare, Citracal, Cenogin Ultra and Natelle EZ. It's good to know that OTC have the same stuff that prescription vitamins do. I'll take the more affordable route since I'll be on them for a year or so. You're supposed to keep taking them all the way through your pregnancy, right?

[Ericka_Jarett]

Folic acid is the most important thing to have.

Yup you take them before pregnancy and continue on them even after pregnancy, especially if going to bf they say.

[Camdynlyn]

Okay, let me get this straight:

I can take my prenatals (800mcg) alone (well, along with my Vit E that I take for my bbs)?

I don't have to take my multivitamins also?? :confused:

[southerner]

Camdynlyn, it is confusing isn't it? Thank goodness all of us getting ready to TTC have access to all these women and their infinite wisdom. I can't imagine what I'd do w/o it :rolleyes:

[ktdelsur]

Okay, let me get this straight:

I can take my prenatals (800mcg) alone (well, along with my Vit E that I take for my bbs)?

I don't have to take my multivitamins also??

camdynlyn: Yes, you can take your prenatals alone and not your multivitamins at all. Just prenatals and whatever extra you have to take for your bbs. The prenatals have all the same good stuff in them your multivitamin does, just in bigger doses. Prenatals aren't just pure folic acid. :D :p

[excitedbride]

Every time I go into my Dr.s office I just ask for samples of the prenatels. We are going to TTC next month and I don't know why I never thought of doing that the last pgs! They happily give me a supply every time!:D

[MrsCantDecide]

I was taking the Walgreens Pre-Natals after lunch (about 1:30 in the afternoon), but I ran out of them, and now I'm taking the Target Pre-nats.... so much cheaper! But I've never had any problems with either brand.

[JRPAGV]

I'm taking OneSource now (less than $5 at WalMart). I also tried some samples of Duet that my OB gave me. I don't have any side effects, which I think is largely because I take them at night before bed. I tried taking them in the morning with breakfast, but I got so nauseous. I definitely recommend taking them before bed so you can sleep off the side effects.

I think the only big difference between Duet and OneSource is that Duet has more B6 in it. That's supposed to help with morning sickness. I don't think it matters what prenatal you take as long as it has the recommended 800mcg of folic acid.

[shellbell516]

I've been taking target brand prenatals since Nov 2003. I didn't get a +hpt until Dec 2004. The only side effect is nausea if I don't eat prior to taking them. Now I always take them after eating breakfast.

[Dotsie]

I am so glad I found this thread. I just got back from Rite Aid where I was informed the prentals I took with Aidan are no longer available. The pharmacist is going to call my dr tomorrow and get another prescription. We're going to start TTC#2 Oct/Nov timeframe.

[Tracie]

I've been taking Target prenatals, and have had no side effects. (I do generally take them with food, though.) My doctor said that OTC prenatals were fine, the only reason they would suggest a prescription is that it might be cheaper with some insurance plans. (Not mine!)

[jessied1025]

This thread is great...thank you for starting it! :) I was just about ready to start a new thread about types of prenatals and came a crossed this one. All the information that has been posted is very helpful.

I am actually going to be purchasing my prenatals this week sometime. I am just finishing up my last packet of BCP's and replacing them with prenatals. My DH and I are going to start TTC this October. I am leaning towards trying the Target brand prenatals, since I am at Target at least 2 to 3 times a week! :p

[Dotsie]

I just started taking Prenate Elite. So far no side effects at all. I do have a quick question though. I have also been taking extra folic acid. 400mg a day on top of my prenatal. Can too much folic acid be a bad thing?

[mel7dog]

I have been taking women's one-a-day, and extra calcium pill, and extra folic acid. Everything that I have read said as long as you get the right amount from your reg. multi-vitamin, there is no need to take special prenatals.

Here is what babycenyter.com suggests these as the most important:

Do I really need to take one?
If you're a healthy woman who eats a balanced diet and has no specific risk factors, not all experts agree that you need to take a prenatal supplement, so you should talk with your practitioner about what's right for you. But everyone does agree that you need to take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid a day (in addition to the folic acid you get from food) at least a month before you start trying to get pregnant and during your first trimester. (In fact, since half of all pregnancies are unplanned, the U.S. Public Health Service recommends that ALL women of childbearing age take 400 mcg of folic acid a day.) And the recommended amount goes up to 600 mcg a day once you're pregnant.

That's because research has shown that doing this can reduce the risk of neural tube defects in your baby by up to 70 percent. If you do take a prenatal supplement, it's likely to contain between 600 and 1,000 mcg of folic acid. If you don't take one, make sure you still take a separate folic acid supplement. If you've previously had a baby with neural tube defects, you'll need to take 4,000 mcg, or 4 milligrams, of this vitamin each day starting at least a month before conception; see your practitioner about getting a prescription for pills that provide this larger dose.

A prenatal supplement can also help you get enough iron, since most women don't get enough in their diet to meet their body's increased needs during pregnancy. The amount recommended when you're pregnant is 27 mg of iron per day, 50 percent more than you need when you're not. (Most prenatal supplements contain between 27 and 60 mg.) That's because your body makes a lot more blood when you're pregnant to support your growing baby, and as a result, the iron stores in your blood can get spread pretty thin. To avoid getting iron-deficiency anemia during pregnancy, most women need to take a supplement. For some women, the amount in their prenatal supplement is enough, but others may need to take even more during pregnancy. (Your caregiver will let you know if you need to boost your iron intake after reviewing your prenatal blood work.)

If you're not anemic before you get pregnant, you can wait until you're pregnant or even until you're through your first trimester to take extra iron, since high doses of the mineral can make nausea and constipation worse. (Supplements that contain no more than the recommended amount of 27 mg probably won't cause you any problems, though.) If you are already anemic before pregnancy, it's a good idea to start taking an iron supplement now. Women with iron-deficiency anemia are usually advised to take between 60 and 120 mg of iron each day in addition to a prenatal supplement.

Finally, women with certain health issues, dietary restrictions, or pregnancy complications need to take a prenatal supplement — and not just for the folic acid and iron. This includes vegetarians and vegans, women who are lactose-intolerant or have certain other food intolerances, smokers and women who abuse other substances, women who are having twins or higher multiples, and women with certain blood disorders and certain chronic diseases. If any of these situations apply to you, talk to your caregiver about what kind of supplement is best for you.


At the least take 400 mcg of folic acid.

[southerner]

saw someone asking about prenatal vitamins and remembered there was some talk about the same thing in this thread, so bump bitty bump :p

[sandt8704]

I have been taking Target Pre-natals since January of this year. Got PG in April. My Dr. said it was fine to continue with these throughout the pregnancy. I haven't had any problems with them, but I do take them after breakfast.

[lady1297]

DH and I are planning on switching from TTA to TTC in January. When should I start taking prenatals again? I quit awhile ago, but want enough time to build up my supply of good stuff before we concieve. Will my doc prescribe them for me again, and early (we didn't know we were pregnant before)? Thanks in advance! We're so excited about adding to our familY!

[Ericka_Jarett]

I just use OTC prenatals and did through my whole pregnancy. You can take them at anytime from what my doctor said. Since I had my daughter, the doctor told me to continue to take them so that my folic acid was built up for my next pregnancy.

[Marisa]

When I went in for a routine yearly visit, I told my OB that we were going to start TTC within the year, and he said it wouldn't hurt to start taking them then, sooner rather than later. I was just taking the CVS (drugstore) brand for a long time, though he did give me a prescription (I filled it after the first brand ran out).

It's a good thing I was thinking about it then, because we wound up getting pregnant the very next cycle.

[lady1297]

:) I got preggo two cycles after, and hadn't called in to get my script (I do better with scripts because they cost more and that makes me want to take them and not waste the money!). Guess I'll put a call in today and get those ordered...thanks!

[Scooter]

You should be on them at least 3 cycles before TTC, but a lot of Drs recommend that all women of childbearing age take them all the time. So it's never too early to start taking them.

[flygirl]

Many multi-vits are just as good as specifically pre-natal ones, so long as you get the right amount of Folic Acid. I currently take a Women's Vit (Trader Joes) that has everything & more than the pre-natal, and cost less. All that said because there's never (usually) a wrong time to start taking vitamins!

[lady1297]

Thanks!! :)

[Scarlatav]

Does anyone take NovaStart Prenatal vitamins??

I am trying to find out specifically what vitamins/supplements are contained in these prenatal vitamins.

I read somewhere that you should not take other vitamins/supplements while taking the NovaStart. Does this sound like being overly cautious?

I am currently taking other vitamins (Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Evening Primrose, Fish Oil, Calcium, B Complex, Folgard) with my prenatal.

[Soulmate]

I don't know much about that specific brand but just what jumped out to me was the B-complex, folgard, and prenatal. I don't know if you can o.d. on B vitamins...but that sounds like a lot. I would take out the b-complex, the folgard has plenty in it. Also Folgard is pretty expensive, you could probably take it only after O to save you some money.

ETA: Also the evening primrose and fish oil are redundant. I would choose the fish oil over the EPO.

[MarriedaGoalie]

I have a question.

My husband and I have been talking about TTC in May/June, but are still not completely sure whether we will start TTC at that time. Should I start taking prenatal vitamins now?! ...And, if so, how would I go about getting ahold of them? Any help would be appreciated! Thank you! :)

[sublime311]

My OB/Gyn prescribed them when I told her I was planning on TTC. I am always low in iron so I make sure I buy the kind with iron added. Your doc can prescribe them for you or you can get them at vitamin places like GNC - I just bought some online and on sale (cheaper than getting them through the pharmacy)...

Here is a good article about prenatals (http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/pregnancynutrition/287.html).

Congratulations on starting on this journey!

[Freckles]

I would start them now. If you take regular vitamins everyday then just replace that vitamin with a prenatal vitamin----the biggest difference is the % of folic acid that is added to the prenatal vitamins, which is important to protect against birth defects.

Target/Walmart sell them over the counter with all the other vitamins.

[maplekitty]

You can get over-the-counter prenatal vitamins, or you can take a women's daily vitamin and a seperate folic acid vitamin. You should be taking pre-natals (especially folic acid) atleast 3 months before starting to TTC. So really, the sooner the better :)

[southerner]

still haven't started taking mine :rolleyes:

[southerner]

I just bumped a thread for you that might be helpful.

[gymwidow]

My doc told me to start taking them at least 3 months before we were going to TTC. She said the OTC brands are just fine. I'm currently taking one I bought at Walmart.

[MarriedaGoalie]

Any idea on how much the ones from Wal-Mart cost?

Thanks for all the info, ladies! I appreciate it. :)

[Janey]

I went down to Costco and bought whatever they had there -- they were $12.50 for 300 of them. I thought that was pretty cheap for a ~10 month supply. :)

[sublime311]

I went down to Costco and bought whatever they had there -- they were $12.50 for 300 of them. I thought that was pretty cheap for a ~10 month supply. :)
:eek: Dang, I REALLY need to get a Costco membership...

[MarriedaGoalie]

We don't have a Costco.... :(

[Lizard]

Target's are even cheaper... I want to say 200 for around 5 bucks, but I could be off. I just remember that they are as cheap as regular vitamins. Since they were that cheap, I just switched to them after I ran out of my regular vitamins... probably 2-3 months prior to TTC.

[usafwife]

Like everyone else said, you should start taking them at least 3 months prior to TTC (unless it's a surprise and then you should start taking them when you find out you are pregnant). I take one that is OTC. They aren't that expensive.

[kindermom]

I paid around $7 for 100 at the grocery store. It was some earthy crunchy brand.

[steviem]

I used Target brand PNV for an entire year before we TTC'd. They were inexpensive and they have 800mg of folic acid, which is what is recommended.

Once I became PG, I continued to take the Target brand PNV until my OB gave me an RX for Prenate Elite, at my first appointment (when I was 7 wks). From what I can tell, there is no difference in ingredients.

[Scooter]

PNVs are so great, I used to take a multi but since I've been on PNVs (3 years now) I've been healthier than before. After the pregnancy I'm going to stick with them & not go back to a multi. They're not even more expensive.

PNVs are recommended for all women during "childbearing years," TTC or not, so there's certainly no harm in just switching to them as your regular vitamin.

[Janey]

I log all my food, and one thing I notice is that even with the PNV is that I'm still not getting 100% of Calcium. I'm not big on dairy/milk, etc., either however. Anyway, just a word to the wise... Viactiv Calcium Chews are yummy. :) (The Target brand of these is not so yummy, imo)

[MarriedaGoalie]

I don't and haven't taken vitamins at all so I think that prenatal vitamins is a good idea for me. I should get on that SOON. :o

[j*east]

I'm not TTC until April, but my dr. gave me a RX for prenatals last time I saw him...in October. It's really never too early, and it's one of the few things that everyone agrees should be done for women TTC.

If you have medical insurance, prenatals might be cheaper...mine have a small copay and are cheaper than paying out of pocket.

[MichelleRenee]

I just got Target brand PNV's.... 200 for $6.99. I was wondering: if I take those now, will my doctor let me just stay on them when I do get PG or do I have to switch to an Rx?

[Camdynlyn]

I've been on PNV since May of 05. I was on the kind from Walmart and I'm about out now so I just bought some Flintstone's vitamins. The doc said you can chew 2 of these a day for the same (and I did check this out) ingredients as a PNV but less harsh on the stomach. Be sure to take any vitamins with a full stomach to prevent getting sick.

I will stick to my PNV instead of going on any Rx ones. They are all the same. They are around $6 for a bottle and can be found at any drug store.

[Delaney21]

Be sure to take any vitamins with a full stomach to prevent getting sick.

I have Rx PNV and on the bottle it says to take the medication on an empty stomach 1 hr before or 2-3 hours after a meal. My doctor told me that if they made me sick to take them right before I go to bed. I'm not sure if all PNV are like that or why they are like that, but that's how mine are.

[ds2003]

I also take the Target Prenatals. I took them while TTC and am still taking them at 16 weeks pregnant.

[sublime311]

I have Rx PNV and on the bottle it says to take the medication on an empty stomach 1 hr before or 2-3 hours after a meal. My doctor told me that if they made me sick to take them right before I go to bed. I'm not sure if all PNV are like that or why they are like that, but that's how mine are.
This is what my doc told me, too.

[Wrighty26]

I just got Target brand PNV's.... 200 for $6.99. I was wondering: if I take those now, will my doctor let me just stay on them when I do get PG or do I have to switch to an Rx?

I think this depends on you.... Your Dr. may give you a Rx and you could switch to it... I would find out the reasoning if it's going to be more expensive though!

My Dr. didn't give me a Rx, he thinks OTC are just as good, if not exactly the same, and are less expensive-- so I have continued taking the Target brand :)

[honeygirl]

Do your Target brand PNV have more than 400mg of Folic Acid? I bought their women's one a day (target brand) last night b/c I couldn't see any other PNV and figured those were the ones. Was I wrong? There are 200 pills and the label is orange & white.

TIA

[Toonces]

The main thing to look for in PNV is 800mcg of Folic Acid. I take Advanced Formula Centrum - that has 400mcg Folic Acid, so I also take a Folic Acid supplement that has 400mcg for a total of 800mcg. You can buy a bottle of Folic Acid tablets at Target or Wal*Mart.

When I was PG with my DD, I took Target and Wal*Mart brand PNVs. I asked my OB if I should be taking a RX PNV and she said the OTC store brands were just fine.

[ds2003]

Do your Target brand PNV have more than 400mg of Folic Acid? I bought their women's one a day (target brand) last night b/c I couldn't see any other PNV and figured those were the ones. Was I wrong? There are 200 pills and the label is orange & white.

TIA

The Target Prenatals have 800mcg of Folic Acid. The label on the bottel is purple and it says Prenatal Vitamins.

[Susan]

Bumping this up because I just started taking prenatal vitamins in preparation for TTC in a couple months. I am taking Prenate Elite, given to me by my dr. I took my first one last night, 2-3 hours after a meal (like the label said), before bed...I woke up in the middle of the night feeling a little queasy. It could be mental (b/c I worried about the PNV making me feel sick). My question is, why does the package say to take 1 hour before a meal, or 2-3 hours after one...does food affect the absorption or effectiveness of the PNV?

[Lochlann]

Hello all :-)
I don't know if I'm pregnant yet (it's too early to tell) but I just picked up the prenatal vitamins that my OBGYN prescribed and it's $35 a month. Is this a normal price to pay or is it high?
Of course I want to do what's best for my body and possible baby, so I might just keep taking the same pills.
I know there's some over the counter pills but haven't looked into them yet. How much do you pay for your pills and are they prescribed? These pills are Citracal Prenatal+DHA 250 mg.

[jennylou]

I take Natelle Prefer Tablet PHA - it's prescribed. They're great because they're coated (think like Advil) which allows me to swallow them. When I'm pregnant I can't take any other kind. They're pricier than the other ones that I've tried taking, but worth it at only $13 per month.

[usafwife]

I was never given prescription prenatals any of the times I was pregnant. I bought mine OTC. I don't remember exactly what I paid for them...maybe $6. I asked about prescription and my OB with DD's pregnancy said that OTCs were just fine.

I first took one kind and found out I couldn't swallow them very easy. I found a different brand that were smaller and coated like a Tylenol.

[SweetRed]

I was just told to take OTC prenatals. I pay about $8 for the NatureMade prenatals, 90-count. Not bad for a 3-month supply, and they don't upset my stomach.

[Ericka_Jarett]

I take OTC prenatals, never got a script for them. My OB and peri said the OTC was perfectly fine to take. They cost me less than $6 and 2 bottles took me through a whole pregnancy.

[PinkMartini]

I was never given a prescription for prenatals either - just took OTC with both pregnancies.

[jessesgirl]

I didn't take prescriptions either. I asked the nurse if OTC was just as good as scripts and she said yes. So I bought the Walgreens brand and got more for the buck.

[Sashi]

Lochlann - I'm on that pre-natal and the prescription is $10 for me a month. $35 is because of your prescription plan. It's pricey considering you can get OTC's. I highly recommend those particular vitamins as they taste better than what I've had OTC and they don't make me sick at all. Honestly there is no difference, just make sure the proper amoutn of iron and DHA is in the OTC ones.

I would maybe ask your OB for samples everytime you go and see how much she can give you, she might be able to give you 1 month at every visit and if not, the $35 will stretch farther. Good luck!

[jeninef]

I used to take prescription prenatals, but recently switched to OTC ones. My OBGYN said that was no problem. She told me to add a DHA or Omega pill as well...

[mpc863]

is there any issue with adding an otc dha pill? IIRC, the DHA pills I have contain fish oil and I wasn't sure if there was a mercury concern.

[Lochlann]

mpc863-
The Citracal Prenatal + DHA pills that I have state NO FISH OIL on the box. I didn't realize why this was a concern but I'm glad you mentioned it, since I wouldn't have thought of it otherwise.
Sashi- Thanks for the info. I'm surprised to hear that, since that's how much my plan charged me for birth control pills. I figured they'd charge the same amount for prenatal meds, but I guess not. Strange.

[PookiePrincess]

Lochlann: Those are the prenatals I take and I think they are $30. I haven't thought to ask what they cost if I don't use insurance.

[Maggie8202]

I take PrimaCare One. For a 3 month supply it cost me $60. Lucky for me my friends mom works at an OB and has been bringing me bags filled of the samples. I should have never filled the script that is how many samples she has given me!!

[countrymouse]

I'm currently TTC and started taking Target prenatals in July. When I went to my pre-TTC OB/GYN appt, my doctor prescribed the same prenatals as you were (Citracal), but said I could finish out the OTC ones I already had. When I asked what the difference was, he said it was the DHA, which he felt was important for fetal brain development. I filled the prescription, and was shocked at the $35 price for just one months' supply. I'm hoping that I can score some more samples every month that I see the doctor to help w/ the cost. When I compared the vitamins in the Target vs. Citracal, it does seem like the Citracal has more folic acid, B6, and some others, plus a stool softener (not relevant now, but could be later, when pregnant).

Basically, I could have written your post word for word, but figured the extra vitamins make the high price tag worth it, even though the high cost suprised me. I really liked the Target ones, as they were soo easy to swallow, and Citrical has 2 pills to take.

I would think and OTC like Target brand, plus an added DHA capsule would pretty much be the same.

[Rosebud]

A large thread on prenatal vitamins which may be helpful to you:

Prenatal Vitamins (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2680)

[LandR02]

For those interested in a non-fish oil source DHA supplement, I take Expecta as recommended by my OB and use it as an adjunct to my Whole Foods prenatals. It's about $12 for a 30 day supply, but each box has a $2 off coupon inside. So it's not so bad.

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/detail?prodid=300273

[Sashi]

Fish oils are not bad for you. They are vitamins that naturally reduce cholestorol along with many other benefits (and according to every doc i've spoken to are perfectly safe to take while pregnant). DHA is in Fish oil if I remember correctly.

IMO, the best thing you can do is take a prenatal vitamin and a DHA supplement or Omega 3.

[jenjunum]

I take Nature Made prenatals. I can get a huge bottle at Costco for a reasonable price. Nature Made has a seal on it for USP. I read an article (I think on Slate) about how some multivitamins don't have what they say they do because they're not regulated by the FDA (since it's not a drug). In addition to the prenatal my midwife recommended Expecta Lipil. This is a DHA supplement which derives omega-3s from seaweed instead of fish oil. I found the cheapest place to buy it on drugstore.com. The bottles are $13.49 for a 30-day supply. If you buy two bottles shipping is free. I don't pay tax in California either.

[Heidi9771]

The nurse I spoke with regarding the DHA/Omega 3 vitamin mentioned that it is fine to consume it via a fish oil source, as long as it was a pharmaceutical grade, purified source that removes mercury.

[coquelicot]

Before I got a bunch of samples of prescription pre-natal vitamins from my OB, I was taking OTC ones that you can get at Sam's. Since I'm not at home, I don't remember how many were in the bottle I bought or how much it cost, but on their website, they advertise 350 of them for $9.86. So, in other words, nearly a year's worth of them for about $10. My OB said that as long as they had at least 400 mcg of folic acid, they would be fine. (They have 800 mcg, I think.) I've noticed that the prescription vitamins generally run around 1 mg of folic acid.

FTR, with taking the OTC vitamins, I had little trouble getting pregnant, and everything looks just fine so far 12 weeks in. :)

[mcgwigan]

Regarding the whole DHA - Fish oil thing. The reason why they would recommend that pregnant women take a DHA supplement that is made from a non-fish oil source is the risk of mercury poisoning from the fish oil.

I've been taking the Expectra like LandR02 along with my OTC prenatals.

[Monty]

I take the Vitafol-OB+DHA that is made from al natural plant sources and does not contain fish oil. Right now my OB is giving me samples, but from what I've read is that a good quality prenatal with plant sourced DHA is best. There are a ton of them out there!

[Lolly]

Well, when I was pregnant with DD and a few weeksinto this one I was just taking Target OTC prenatals and additional folic acid. However, this time my doctor wanted me to take DHA. I went to CVS one night and could not find a DHA supplement (well, I suppose I didn't really know what I was looking for). Anyway, I just got a presciption for Prenate w/DHA and I love it. I seriously think the DHA is helping with my morning sickness, or something in this prenatal at least.

Anyway, now that I've read that I can take Expecta, I'm going to check with my doctor next time and maybe switch back to my OTC stuff. Or not since my prescription only cost me $11 for a 30 day supply.

Thanks for the DHA info. ladies!

[Amuse Bouche]

I took OTC CVS prenatals (something like $11 for a ridiculous supply -- I never used them up, and I started taking them before I got pg) and I also took Country Life Prenatal Omega Mom ($25 for 90, dose was 2 per day). The Omega Moms have fish oil, but it's purified to remove traces of heavy metals. And they don't give you that fishy burp.

[jenjunum]

Lolly Expecta on its own will cost you more than $11 per month. The cheapest I could find it was $13.49 for a 30-day supply.

[LandR02]

Just as a follow-up, I bought a box of Expecta at Target this evening for $10.99. With the $2 off coupon that is included in each box, got it for $8.99!

[jenjunum]

Thanks LandR02. I got two bottles online. I'll use those coupons and buy the rest from Target.

[FoxyBlue]

I kept wanting to mention mine:

I tried GNC's, I tried NatureMade, and I tried Whole Foods brand of Prenatal.

GNCs were too harsh, as were Nature Made's. I felt too uncomfortable to eat. Since I was fine when not taking them (was able to eat pretty much normally, minus tolerable aversions), I stopped taking them.

Whole Food's Prenatal was great- when I could choke down the THREE horse-sized pills per day. The formula was terrific, but I'm not sure who can manage those pills. I couldn't.

I felt HORRIBLE one day at the end of my 1st trimester and realized it was due to a lack of Iron. I went to Whole Foods at lunch and exchanged it for one of the prenatals I had tried earlier: New Chapter Perfect Prenatal.

I'm not sure I entirely believe ANY vitamin maker's claims entirely. However, I do know that I can tolerate this vitamin, the pill sizes are manageable (great size, I wish I didn't need three per day), and I must be getting SOMETHING from it since I don't feel anemic anymore.

It IS expensive, but given that I kept blowing money on stuff that didn't work, I figure it's worth it.

One note: If you live near a Whole Foods, they're good about returns. I was able to return open product for store credit or refunds, with a receipt.

Hope this helps someone.

[amew]

I take the Citracal + DHA and currently pay $50/month for it. When I was pregnant (I'm still taking it b/c I'm breastfeeding now) I paid $35/month, but my insurance recently quit covering it. It seems like a ton to pay for vitamins, but I really like them. I don't think prescription versus OTCs really matters much, but I do think it's important to take a DHA supplement if it's not part of your prenatal. When we were trying but not yet pg, I just took Target OTCs.

[FoxyBlue]

When we were trying but not yet pg, I just took Target OTCs.

You know, when I wasn't pregnant (not trying) I took these and had no problems. I wanted to take them when I got pregnant, but I couldn't find them.

They'd deinitely be worth a shot though.

[iheartjustin]

Hi all,

I'm trying to decide which prenatal vitamins to take. Do you have any recommendations? My Dr. gave me a prescription (which is not covered by my insurance) so I was wondering if there are any great over the counter options?

Thanks in advance!
-Jenni

[PinkMartini]

I took Rite Aid Prenatal Tablets for both of my pregnancies and my OBGYN said they were fine :)

[cactus]

Hi Jenni! Prior to actually being pregnant, I took the Target brand. I've been taking the spendy RX ones while pregnant because they have the extra DHA (my dr recommended this) and also an added stool softener. Ah, the joys...;)

[sea74]

I take the Rainbow Light ones from Whole Foods. They are supposed to be gentle on the stomach and so far so good :)

[numberlady]

I take Nature Made from Walgreens and my doctor didn't give me a rx, he said those were fine.

[NotDesperate]

I take some that I got over the counter at Walmart and my OBGYN said they were fine. However when I actually get PG, I am going to look into those ones with the extra DHA and stool softeners that Cactus mentioned :)

[pontmarie]

I always took generic and those were fine.

[iheartjustin]

PinkMartini, Cactus (hi!), Sea74, numberlady, NotDesperate, Pontmarie:

Thank you all for the recommendations! It does seem more cost-effective to stick with OTC until pregnancy. Great idea. Thanks! This is exciting :)

[countrymouse]

I second (well, third) the Target prenatals. I took them plus an Expectra DHA capsule (also over the counter) while TTC, then switched to a prescription kind once I got pregnant for the reasons Cactus mentioned.

One thing about the Target brand I liked- it had a smooth coating on it that made it very easy to swallow.

[Ferris]

My Dr. told me it was fine to take multivitamins as long as it had folic acid. So I bought some from Costco. They were 300 for like 9 bucks.

[jesseybell]

I've been taking the Target brand ones for 3 years - they are the only ones I can swallow. Next time I'll add in the Expectra DHA. I take a stool softener as needed.

[pocahontas]

Still taking the Rx ones from my OB that she gave me when I was pregnant with my son last fall although for the life of me I can't remember the name or else I'd highly recommend them to you because they are gentle on the stomach and have that beloved stool softener. ;)

[mamax2]

I take mostly generic - Rite Aid, Walgreens - it doesn't really matter. When I had my first DD, I had fantastic Rx coverage and my prenatals were FREE so I took the Rx ones. After DH transfered jobs though, I have been on generics ever since (which has been a LOT of years between pregnancy & BFing!)

[heather1029]

I take New Chapter Organics. I got an RX for prenatals from my doctor, but those suckers were HUGE! Plus, they were chock full of every artificial coloring imaginable. Something just feels wrong about a bright neon blue vitamin.

[iheartjustin]

Thank you, Thank you. This is so helpful. I am new to all of this.

[jmvan74]

I take New Chapter Organics. I got an RX for prenatals from my doctor, but those suckers were HUGE! Plus, they were chock full of every artificial coloring imaginable. Something just feels wrong about a bright neon blue vitamin.

OMG! Do you happen to know the name of that big, blue vitamin??? That's what I took with my son and can't for the life of me figure out what it was. It was the only thing I've ever tried that didn't make me want to vomit.

[heather1029]

OMG! Do you happen to know the name of that big, blue vitamin??? That's what I took with my son and can't for the life of me figure out what it was. It was the only thing I've ever tried that didn't make me want to vomit.

Yep, they were called Prenate DHA (http://www.prenate.com/).

[jmvan74]

Yep, they were called Prenate DHA (http://www.prenate.com/).

Thanks!:p

[espresso]

*Bump* - warning...possible TMI

DH and I are trying and I have been taking over the counter, but today I saw my midwife and she gave me a bunch of samples.

I got home and was looking at them and some of them have stool softeners. Here is the TMI.... I am not sure I really need a stool softener. I don't really have any problems in that area and I don't particularly want things to get.....er, runny.... Should I try to avoid the stool softener or will it make a big difference? Thanks!

[Julss05]

I took Nature's Made which worked well. Only a few problems first month of morning sickness because I was stupid and took them on an empty stomach in the morning! Have a hard time swallowing pills and it wasn't as big as others although I hear there are gel-cap prenatals now.

I didn't notice my prenatal having a stool softner in it. I didn't need one until the last month of pregnancy and shortly after delivery. Still even if the prenatal has it in there it shouldn't affect things too much. I took a separate stool softner from my prenatal and it just got me going and made it a bit softer for comfort not like diahrea:o.

[mamax2]

*Bump* - warning...possible TMI

DH and I are trying and I have been taking over the counter, but today I saw my midwife and she gave me a bunch of samples.

I got home and was looking at them and some of them have stool softeners. Here is the TMI.... I am not sure I really need a stool softener. I don't really have any problems in that area and I don't particularly want things to get.....er, runny.... Should I try to avoid the stool softener or will it make a big difference? Thanks!

I'm the same. I would continue taking your regular prenatals and save the stool softening ones in case you ever need them later. Just because they're free samples doesn't mean you have to take them. That's JMO, though.

[love6598]

I agree with Max. Some people find they need that sort of thing during pregnancies and others don't. I for one was always fine in that department:D

[Monty]

*Bump* - warning...possible TMI

DH and I are trying and I have been taking over the counter, but today I saw my midwife and she gave me a bunch of samples.

I got home and was looking at them and some of them have stool softeners. Here is the TMI.... I am not sure I really need a stool softener. I don't really have any problems in that area and I don't particularly want things to get.....er, runny.... Should I try to avoid the stool softener or will it make a big difference? Thanks!

I really wouldn't worry about it, my vitamins said they had this too...but I never noticed a "change", I think it's such a small amount that it doesn't really work.

As far as being TMI....I have to laugh because once you get pregnant the TMI levels goes by the way side!!! You'll share your grossest details with any random person on the street by the time you are 8 months along!!! Best of luck to you and your DH!!!