Prenatal Vitamins Without Vitamin A

[stephensonle]

I'm trying to find prenatal vitamins WITHOUT vitamin A (the UK national health service warns that it can actually cause birth defects). I've only found prenatal vitamins WITH vitamin A here.

Any advice out there?

Thanks!

 

[Bajo_cero2]

What about to consult it with an obstetra?

 

[allcraz]

If you end up not being able to find them here and feel you really need/want them, perhaps you can get some sent. Or my parents are coming from the States the first week of April. They wouldn't mind bringing a bottle of vitamins for you if that's not too long to wait. On the other hand, I'm 38 weeks pregnant and never took prenatal vitamins. I'm curious to hear others' encounters with this specific topic? My OB told me that they were unnecessary as long as I'm eating a healthy, "normal" diet and made a comment about how prenatal vitamins were just another business thought up by the pharmaceutical companies. Of course, I have had blood taken throughout the pregnancy to check for deficiencies (they mostly look at red blood cells for iron I believe). Folic acid was prescribed before and during the pregnancy (up to week 13/14 if I remember correctly?) I have never been a vitamin taker and feel confident in my eating habits, so I didn't question him much. Also, I could have gone to a pharmacy and asked for some over the counter, or insisted that my OB prescribe me some. Did anyone else NOT take prenatals throughout their pregnancy?

 

[nikad]

I did not take vitamins, but was prescribed folic acid and iron. Usually that is what OB prescribes in Arg, unless you have other deficiencies.

 

[syngirl]

Here it is just folic acid and iron that pregnant women take. Also, the Vitamin A warning is for excessive doses of vitamin A -- you would have to eat liver three times a day to get to that amount. Vitamins are expensive here, get your obstetrician to give you a prescription. If you have the opportunity, buy them abroad. There are also varius different iron tablets, they will have different affects from person to person... ie constipation and other lovely things. So talk to your obgyn

 

[scotttswan]

If you do end up ordering vitamins over the internet, make sure they arrive via regular mail as even though they will probably go "missing", if they don't you will get them delivered to the door.

Any vitamins via a courier will get blocked by afip and the only way of getting them out is with permission from the health ministry......

 

[sivan]

i was taking folic acid until week 13/14 as well and after that my OB gave me Centrum Materna to take. With a prescription its free (they usually cost around 130 pesos for 30 tablets). I do not eat that healthily (although i have tried to be better since getting pregnant) which is why I felt it was probably a good idea to take the vitamins. As syngirl mentioned you would have to consume extreme amounts of vitamin A in order for a birth defect to occur. But if you are concerned i would definitely talk to your OB about it.

 

[stephensonle]

Thank you, all! I really appreciate your comments! Suerte.

 

[citygirl]

Just iron/calcium here and folic acid through the first trimester. Same - my OB said since my bloodwork was fine, there was no need for prenatal. I am trying to eat extra Vitamin E and protein now that I'm in 3rd trimester.