Is It Dangerous To Forget To Take Your Prenatals?

In this article, we will take a close look at the importance of prenatal vitamins during pregnancy. We will discuss the essential nutrients they provide, such as folic acid and iron, and the potential risks associated with not taking them regularly.

Author - Jakub Gwiazdecki

Fifth year medical student at the Medical Faculty of Comenius University in Bratislava.

Jakub used MediSearch to find sources for this blog.

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Is it dangerous to forget to take your prenatals?

Occasionally forgetting to take your prenatal vitamins is not dangerous.

Nevertheless, prenatals are meant to be taken regularly. Frequently missed dosages can lead to nutritional gaps and a subsequent deficiency, which can be dangerous.

For example, the recommended dose for folic acid is 0.4 mg daily during early pregnancy [1]. A deficiency of this vital element can lead to dangerous complications.

Among them are:

fetal growth impairment, resulting in low birth weight [2],
spina bifida [3],
anencephaly - a head and brain malformation [3],
premature placenta detachment [4],
preeclampsia [4],
newborn abnormalities of the skin, nails, and hair [5].

If you forget to take your prenatal vitamin, don't worry. Take the dose as soon as possible unless it's time for the next dose. In such a case, continue with the ordinary schedule, avoiding doubling the prenatal vitamins [6, 7, 8, 9].

What are prenatals?

Prenatals are vitamin supplements that are made for pregnant women. They cover the whole spectrum of vitamins that support the mother and the fetus during pregnancy [10].

Some prenatal vitamins also supplement other essential elements like minerals [6].

Among the element that prenatals typically include are:

vitamin A,
vitamin D,
vitamin E,
vitamin K,
vitamin B9,
vitamin B12,
vitamin B6,
iron,
copper,
zinc,
magnesium,
calcium [11, 12].

One of the main roles of prenatal vitamins is to decrease the risk of pregnancy complications and fetal developmental abnormalities [13].

What are prenatal vitamins good for?

Prenatal vitamins are supplements that support both the mother's and child's health during pregnancy [11].

A key function of prenatal vitamins is to supplement the elements whose demand increases in pregnancy, like vitamins B12 and B9. Some prenatal vitamins also supplement a commonly missing essential element called choline [12].

Prenatals generally lower the risks of developmental abnormalities in children. They also prevent conditions like blindness due to vitamin A insufficiency [11].

How long do I have to take prenatals?

Prentals are part of preconception and pregnancy care. You should start the supplementation already 1 to 3 months before the planned pregnancy. Doctors often recommend prenatals like B9 vitamin even a few months before trying for a child [14, 15, 12].

During pregnancy, you should take prenatals every day [12].

Furthermore, taking prenatals can also be helpful after delivery. Many of the vitamins support recovery and breastfeeding [12].

However, remember that everyone is unique. Therefore, it is necessary to consult a gynecologist, who will prescribe a personalized supplementation plan [14].

Which prenatals are best?

Among the top prenatal vitamins are

Ritual Prenatal Multivitamin,
FullWell Prenatal Multivitamin,
Thorne Basic Prenatal,
Perelel Prenatal Pack,
Nature Made Prenatal Folic Acid + DHA Softgels,
The SmartyPants Prenatal Formula Gummies,
New Chapter Advanced Perfect Prenatal Multivitamin [12].

If you are a vegetarian, the MegaFood Baby & Me 2 Prenatal Multivitamin is a great fit for you [12].