My doctor put me on pre-natal vitamins to reduce the risk of a birth defect that runs in my family...?

Question

my husband and i hope to start trying to get pregnant soon...but, i seem to be having hot flashes during certain times of the month...could this be caused by the pre-natal vitamins? or is that a sign that i am ovulating? or something else? i am only 28 so i know it's not early menopause...

Answer 1

Hot flashes is not a sign of any prenatal vit. that I've ever heard of. Most likely it is due to a shift in hormones possibly from ovulation. Also, just as a note, early menopause--also called premature ovarian failure--can start as early as a girls teen years. However, I highly doubt that is your problem.

Answer 2

Unless I am mistaken the only vitamin shown to reduce birth defects is folic acid, and the amount in most prenatal vitamins is less than the March of Dimes recommends for women with a strong history of birth defects. Women who have previously had a pregnancy complication like spina bifida are advised to take 4,000mg of folic acid before pregnancy and for the first trimester. I would imagine that is a safe recommendation for women with a strong family history as well.

The only things most prenatal vitamins that most prenatal vitamins have that multivitamins don't is folic acid (usually 400mg as opposed to 800mg in a prenatal) is a toxic level of iron. Most prenatals have between 27mg and 60mg of iron. The recommended amount of iron for a pregnant women is 27mg (as per the FDA) but that is from ALL sources including diet and almost every food has iron. The upper tolerable level of iron per the FDA is 45mg, no-one should exceed that unless they have very specific medical conditions and pregnancy isn't one of them. And again that is 45mg from ALL sources. Routine iron supplementation is not without it's risks for both mom and baby and eventually the OBs will stop following the drug companies who give them so many perks and instead use evidence based medicine and then we may see a change.

Routine iron supplementation during pregnancy has been linked to low birth rate and suppression of the mom's immune system. Even if the effects are marginal think of the number of babies that could be saved in the US each year. Even a 1% reduction in low birth weight would be dramatic.

Answer 3

Ok..first, if you have a history of spinal defects, you should be getting a seperate folic acid supplement, not prenatal pills. It's now 4-5 mg. for that group. which is way more than in any prenatal.

I've had hot flashes since 12 years old (I started menstrating at 10). I know that certain vitamins (niacin particularly) can cause hot flashes, but I'm not sure it can in the quantity in a prenatal. You do have changing hormones even at 28..but given that it started after the prenatals? Could be coincidence, could be the prenatal.

Answer 4

Is the birth defect spina bifida?

If so, you need lots of Vitamin B 6.

Better check with another doc if it's spina bifida and look up this connection on the internet.

They think, at least 20 years ago the thinking was, that spina bifida is caused too little Vit B 6 in the first month of pregnancy.

This is very important, if the problem is spina bifida. Prenatal vitamins do not have enough B6 in them to prevent spina bifida. I knew a girl who took her prenatal vitamiins and had a kid with spina bifida.

So check this out.

Answer 5

It's probably not the vitamins. You may try to switch brands to eliminate that small possibility.
Also food derived vitamins are the best for pregnancies, so eat lots of fresh fruits, nuts and veggies as a part of your daily diet. Drink an 8 oz glass of orange juice everyday for extra folic acid.

Answer 6

no one has suggested greenback typical or kinfolk greenback. They fee $2.00 a bottle for 30 pills. as quickly as I took the prescription pre-natal supplementations i became already pregnant. Now that i'm attempting to conceive lower back i'm taking the over the counter ones.

Answer 7

it is probably from the change in hormone levels during your cycle.