Prenatal Vitamin Side Effects

What are Prenatal Vitamins?

Pregnancy is one of the crucial stages in every woman's life, as they expect a healthy baby. Health experts recommend a balanced and nutritious diet during this period to cover the requirement of both, the mother and the baby. But, a nutritious diet may not be sufficient to serve the purpose and therefore, prenatal vitamins are recommended. Prenatal vitamins are multivitamins, specially formulated for pregnant women. They are also believed to be beneficial for breast-feeding mothers, and for those women planning to have a baby. These vitamins, which are a part of prenatal care, cover up the nutritional deficiency of the mother-to-be as well as the baby. Even though prenatal vitamins include several vitamins and minerals, the most important among them are calcium, iron and folic acid.

Side Effects of Prenatal Vitamins

As in the case of any other medication, prenatal vitamins can also cause side effects in some women. Although it has been observed that most women can tolerate prenatal vitamins without any trouble, some may experience health problems. This may be associated with morning sickness, which will subside within three to five months of pregnancy. But, in some cases, the side effects may extend throughout the pregnancy. The following are some of the prenatal vitamin side effects.

• Intake of prenatal vitamins may cause headaches and nausea in some women. While headaches are considered to a common side effect, nausea may subside with the onset of the second trimester. Nausea may be accompanied with a sour stomach too.
• Another common health problem associated with the consumption of prenatal vitamins is constipation, which may be due to the iron content. You can relieve this condition by consuming fibrous food items and drinking lots of water.
• Some pregnant women may develop allergic reactions in the form of hives, breathing trouble, etc. In case of occurrence of such reactions, you should seek immediate medical attention, as the allergy may be due to any of the ingredients in the prenatal vitamins.
• Intake of prenatal vitamins may also be the reason behind a bad taste in the mouth. This feeling may cause an aversion to food.
• Prenatal vitamin side effects include indigestion, gas and belching, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches and pains, weakness, insomnia, discoloration of urine and tinnitus (ringing in the ears).

Most of the above symptoms are experienced by pregnant women, even if they are not consuming prenatal vitamins. As these symptoms coincide with the pregnancy symptoms, it is very difficult to differentiate between the two. But in case of any major symptoms - like allergic reactions, severe vomiting, intense abdominal pain and cramps, unusual bruising and bleeding - immediate medical attention is needed. For minor symptoms like headaches and nausea, you can consult your doctor for some safe medicines which can relieve the side effects of prenatal vitamins.

Prenatal vitamins do not require the approval of the FDA and therefore, it is very important to take this only on the recommendation of your doctor. You should strictly avoid self medication during pregnancy, as any mistake may cause harm to the mother and the baby. Even if you are taking these multivitamins, care must be taken to adopt a balanced prenatal nutrition plan. Prenatal vitamin side effects should never be ignored or taken lightly, as this can cause severe harm to the baby as well as the mother.