Prenatal vitamins should be started two months before conception to decrease the risk of a group of birth defects called neural tube defects. The two main types are prescription and over the counter prenatal vitamins.
Prescription prenatal vitamins
The gold standard and we have coupons for many different kinds, including chewable . In general, prescription prenatal vitamins will have more iron; all have stool softener and will have the recommended 800 milligrams of folic acid. Generic prenatal vitamins are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and can have a twenty percent variance in their contents when compared to the label.
Over the counter prenatal vitamins
Over the counter prenatal vitamins are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration so what it states on the label may not be what is in the pills.
These defects involve failure of the baby’s anterior or posterior walls to close and in its most severe form causes Anencephaly, where the brain does not develop.You should also be looking for 200 mg of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in breast milk and formula. It contributes to brain, nervous system, and eye formation.