Pregnancy and vitamins

[MyMya]

Hi everyone,

My midwife advised me that I should take a supplement like Prenacare as well as folic acid and vitamin D. And I should stop taking folic acid after 12 weeks.

As Pregnacare contains both folic acid and vitamin D, I’m confused if I should stop taking it or not after 12 weeks, and if I need to also take additional vitamin D tablets.

I tried asking the midwife this, but still didn’t quite understand. The Pregnacare website says it’s safe to take throughout pregnancy.

My next midwife appointment isn’t until November, so it’d be good to get some advice about this before then.

[Seb9]

The folic acid is needed to help avoid neural rice defects like Spina Bifida. The spine is formed by 12 weeks so you can stop taking folic acid. Vitamin D is recommended to take all through pregnancy as we don't always get enough in the UK as it's not always sunny and we spend a lot of time indoors.

There's no harm in taking pregnacare through your pregnancy even with the folic acid, our bodies use it all the time not just when pregnant so it's fine to take any pregnancy vitamins during pregnancy or just vitamin D after 12 weeks, it's entirely up to you. I took the Asda version as they were very similar to pregnacare but much cheaper.

[MyMya in reply to Seb9]

Thank you, this is reassuring.

[KLF2]

I took my pregnicare all the way through mine from about 6 weeks(i was taking folic acid and vitamin D before) I'm currently 33 weeks and still taking it and will until I have the babies and I'm glad I did because I have had a smooth pregnancy (probably not linked but i like to believe it is)

Hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well

Xx

[MyMya in reply to KLF2]

Thank you, you too

[katesjj]

I've been taking Pregnacare since about 5 weeks and was prescribed extra folic acid as I have a high BMI. I took them both together until 12 weeks, then stopped the extra folic acid. My midwife said to keep taking the Pregnacare vitamins till baby arrives.

Hope that helps!

[Hidden]

Absolutely, it is perfectly safe to take folic acid after 12 weeks even tho they want you to take at least up to there, it’s just saying that you have to take it after that mark, my midwife gave me some Vit D & vit C with folic acid combined (all in one) and said when you’ve finished taking your folic acid at 12 weeks take these or just switch to these as you need vit D so I think it would be fine

[NinnyH90]

Have a look on the RCOG website (royal college of obstetrics and gynaecology - they provide all the most up to date evidence and info for all the guidelines in England) - there’s info on there about current recommendations for vitamins. No solid evidence to say that anything other than vitamin D and folic acid are beneficial, and you can get them both cheaper than pregnacare!