If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, you may already be aware of how important it is to get enough folic acid. Folic acid helps to reduce the risk of brain and spinal defects in your baby, especially during early pregnancy. What you may not know, however, is how important it is to take multivitamins as well.
Multivitamins can help ensure that you and your baby are getting the nutrients you need for a healthy pregnancy. They can also help reduce the risk of some birth defects and pregnancy complications. Talk to your doctor about whether multivitamins are right for you and your baby.
A recent study published in the medical journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention noted the significance of taking multivitamins when attempting to conceive or newly pregnant. Their analysis concluded that women who take multivitamins in early pregnancy reduced their child’s risk of developing specific brain tumors.
Researchers found that women who took multivitamins around the time they conceived had a lower chance of having babies with brain tumors. Medulloblastoma is the second most common brain tumor in young children and occurs in 1 in 20,000 children under the age of six. This is a rare tumor, but it is more likely to occur in babies whose mothers did not take multivitamins during pregnancy.
The study at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia compared 315 youngsters with brain tumors to 315 randomly chosen healthy youngsters. Researchers known as each mother and asked if they had been taking multivitamins prior to or after conception. The findings showed that those who took multivitamins before conception were slightly less likely to have a child with a brain tumor. This was a slightly significant finding, yet it was comparable to a study conducted in 1993 by a different group.
Interestingly, research has shown that taking a multivitamin during the later stages of pregnancy did not substantially decrease the infant’s risk of developing brain tumors. This makes it all too clear that if you’re trying to get pregnant, you must start taking your multivitamins as soon as possible and continue with the approval of your physician at least through the early stages of your pregnancy.
Women are strongly encouraged to choose a multivitamin that has 400 micrograms of folic acid. This is especially important for reproductive women because they need to make sure they’re eating healthy foods with plenty of vitamins and minerals, including folic acid.
It’s important to check the vitamin A content in your chosen vitamin supplement, and to make sure you’re not taking more than 770 micrograms of vitamin A – as taking too much can lead to birth defects in babies.
The USP (United States Pharmacopeia) evaluates and sets specific standards for purity, quality, and content for vitamins that carry the USP stamp. These criteria help ensure that these vitamins are safe and effective for consumers.
Your OB/GYN can help you choose a prenatal vitamin before you even become pregnant. So, if you’re trying to conceive, good luck and take a multivitamin for both you and your baby!
