Can i stop taking prenatal vitamins after first trimester

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Moms-to-be are strongly encouraged to take prenatal vitamins to support their growing babies (and themselves!) during those exciting nine months. But the best time to start taking prenatal vitamins isn’t when you see those two pink lines—it’s actually before you get pregnant. By the same token, new parents shouldn’t stop taking prenatal vitamins when that sweet baby is finally in their arms. Here’s what to know about starting—and stopping—prenatal vitamins.

THE PRECONCEPTION WINDOW

What both biological parents do 6 months before conception helps prepare for everything to come. This is a time to fuel your fertility and boost the chances of successful conception, a healthy pregnancy, and a healthy baby at birth and well beyond. Studies have linked key micronutrients to the very processes that drive conception for both women and men. Let’s face it—we know the importance of nutrition, but most of us have pretty significant gaps. Even if you’re eating for fertility health, a high-quality prenatal supplement, like Beli for Her and Beli for Him, can make a really big difference at every stage.

  • Vitamin C reduces the chance of miscarriage.
  • Vitamins B6 and B12 to trigger ovulation.
  • Vitamin D to support embryo implantation.
  • Vitamin E to help protect reproductive function and egg quality.
  • Zinc to support reproductive hormones.
  • Vitamin K2 to aid in the production of progesterone and estrogen.
  • Folate to help improve egg quality and boost the chances of conception.
  • Chromium helps improve fertility in women with PCOS.
  • Choline to reduce the risks of miscarriage by protecting your baby from neural tube defects.

For hopeful dads-to-be, our science-backed formula can make all the difference. Studies have found that specific nutrients can increase fertility significantly — increasing sperm count and quality, protecting sperm growth, and improving sperm motility and morphology.

WHEN SHOULD YOU STOP TAKING PRENATAL VITAMINS?

There’s no standard recommendation for when you should toss the prenatals, though the general suggestion is to continue taking them as long as you’re breastfeeding. That’s based on studies that have found that continued supplementation has direct benefits for your baby.

Beli’s formulation is designed to support new mamas and their babies with appropriate levels of key nutrients:

  • Vitamin D to help protect against postpartum depression and support healthy milk production.
  • Vitamin E to support immune and heart health.
  • Vitamins B6 and B12 to help regulate appetite and boost energy.
  • Choline supports brain development.
  • Iron helps minimize postpartum fatigue and protect against anemia.
  • Magnesium to help protect against postpartum depression and improve sleep quality.

In men, a steep drop in testosterone during late pregnancy and birth can be detrimental to mood and energy levels, leading to reduced sex drive, reduced emotional resilience, even paternal postpartum depression. A workaround to keep testosterone levels stable? You guessed it — the same quality men’s prenatal you started taking preconception.

TAKEAWAY

If trying for a baby is in the cards, start taking a prenatal vitamin six to three months before you hope to conceive. Continue taking that prenatal throughout your pregnancy and during the postpartum and breastfeeding stage. This is a frenzied, exhilarating, exhausting time, and new moms and dads will both benefit from a daily dose of all the right nutrients.

This article was originally published on belibaby.com and written in partnership with Beli Baby.  

Wonder if you need to take prenatal vitamins? Or what to do if they make you constipated? Get answers to these questions and more.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

A healthy diet is the best way to get the vitamins and minerals you need. But during pregnancy you might fall short on key nutrients. If you're pregnant or hoping to conceive, prenatal vitamins can help fill any gaps.

Why are prenatal vitamins important?

During pregnancy, you need more folic acid and iron than usual. Here's why:

  • Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects. These defects are serious abnormalities of the fetal brain and spinal cord. Ideally, you'll begin taking extra folic acid at least 3 months before you become pregnant.
  • Iron supports the development of the placenta and fetus. Iron helps your body make blood to supply oxygen to the fetus. Iron also helps prevent anemia, a condition in which blood has a low number of healthy red blood cells.

Which prenatal vitamin is best?

Prenatal vitamins are available over-the-counter in nearly any pharmacy. Your health care provider might recommend a specific brand or leave the choice up to you.

Beyond checking for folic acid and iron, look for a prenatal vitamin that contains calcium and vitamin D. They help promote the development of the baby's teeth and bones. It also might be beneficial to look for a prenatal vitamin that contains vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, B vitamins, zinc and iodine.

In addition, your health care provider might suggest higher doses of certain nutrients depending on the circumstances. For example, if you've given birth to a baby who has a neural tube defect, your health care provider might recommend a separate supplement containing a higher dose of folic acid — such as 4 milligrams (4,000 micrograms) — before and during any subsequent pregnancies.

But in general, avoid taking extra prenatal vitamins or multivitamins with dosing in excess of what you need on a daily basis. High doses of some vitamins may be harmful to your baby. For example, extra vitamin A during pregnancy can potentially cause harm to your baby.

Do I need to be concerned about other nutrients?

Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of fat found naturally in many kinds of fish, help promote a baby's brain development. If you don't eat fish or other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, your health care provider might recommend omega-3 fatty acid supplements in addition to prenatal vitamins.

When should I start taking prenatal vitamins?

Ideally, you'll start taking prenatal vitamins before conception. In fact, it's generally a good idea for women of reproductive age to regularly take a prenatal vitamin. The baby's neural tube, which becomes the brain and spinal cord, develops during the first month of pregnancy — perhaps before you even know that you're pregnant.

Do prenatal vitamins have any side effects?

Sometimes the iron in prenatal vitamins contributes to constipation. To prevent constipation:

  • Drink plenty of fluids
  • Include more fiber in your diet
  • Include physical activity in your daily routine, as long as you have your health care provider's OK
  • Ask your health care provider about using a stool softener

If these tips don't seem to help, ask your health care provider about other options.

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April 19, 2022

  1. Garner CD, et al. Nutrition in pregnancy. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Jan. 16, 2020.
  2. AskMayoExpert. Preconception care. Mayo Clinic; 2019.
  3. Constipation. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/constipation/treatment?dkrd=hispt0166. Accessed Jan. 16, 2020.
  4. Frequently asked questions. Pregnancy FAQ001: Nutrition during pregnancy. https://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Nutrition-During-Pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Accessed Jan. 16, 2020.
  5. Gabbe SG, et al., eds. Nutrition during pregnancy. In: Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2017. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Jan. 16, 2020.
  6. Butler Tobah YS (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. April 10, 2020.

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Can you stop taking prenatal vitamins after 12 weeks?

By 12 weeks, the baby's neural tube should have closed so you don't need to take folic acid. But it isn't harmful to take it all the way through your pregnancy. So, you can carry on if you are taking pregnancy multivitamin tablets that contain it.

When do you stop taking prenatal vitamins?

When Should You Stop Taking Prenatal Vitamins? There's no standard recommendation for when you should toss the prenatals, though the general suggestion is to continue taking them as long as you're breastfeeding. That's based on studies that have found that continued supplementation has direct benefits for your baby.

What happens if you stop taking your prenatal vitamins?

Without adequate folic acid supplementation, we would expect to see higher rates of neural tube defects and, down the road, increased rates of autism spectrum disorder.

Do you have to take prenatal vitamins your whole pregnancy?

Many providers recommend that mamas should continue taking prenatal vitamins the entire way through their pregnancy—and if you're breastfeeding, throughout the length of time you breastfeed or pump for your baby.