Is it magic?
Is it an illusion?
No! It's actually prenatal vitamins working wonders for your body. Doctors recommend that you take prenatal vitamins at least three months before attempting pregnancy.
But does taking prenatal vitamin actually increase your chances of getting pregnant? Does it boost your fertility?
First, we need to unravel the components that are inside prenatal vitamins that give them their so-called magical properties. You need your prenatal vitamins to have at least 400 micrograms of folic acid. This will help in restricting a very specific malformation on the developing baby, known as a Neural Tube Defect. Other than this, your prenatal vitamins also need to contain iron. Iron is vital for your body during pregnancy since the need for it within your body increases.
Bone growth is important during pregnancy too! This is brought about by Vitamin D and Calcium, which directly contributes to the development of the framework of your baby’s body. On top of this, Omega-3 Fatty acids are going to help with the baby’s central nervous system. This is especially important because it will eventually come to determine a flourishing brain development of the baby.
The reason why doctors recommend you taking prenatal vitamins at least three months before attempting pregnancy is because many women tend to take their vitamins AFTER they find out that they are pregnant. This, of course, prevents the full potential of these vitamins to come to fruition. By doing this, they are missing an important window where the prenatal vitamins are going to have the most beneficial impact on the pregnancy.
However, the scientific evidence that links prenatal vitamins to increasing your chances of getting pregnant is actually mixed. That being said, the components of prenatal vitamins act as a major support during pregnancy. Iron supplements ensure a healthier future life for your baby and it has also been shown that women with ovulation issues may benefit from these.
Folic acid, yet another component of these prenatal vitamins, has been shown to decrease the chances of miscarriage. In fact, this is one of the main reasons why women are recommended to intake prenatal vitamins before they attempt pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins offer this multitude of benefits that really helps seal its integrity as a useful tool in terms of health and pregnancy.
There are also other ways to improve your fertility, though.
You should visit your doctor, known as a preconception visit, in which they may evaluate your medical history and identify any issues. Staying true to a Mediterranean diet can also yield you a lot of benefits! This is the only diet that has been shown in studies to improve fertility in patients.
It is important to remember that YOU are at the center of it all. In combination with prenatal vitamins and other fertility enriching methods, you will be the one to reap the benefits and be rewarded with a healthy little baby!
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