Pregnant - Nursing - Prenatal Vitiams

I am not pregnant nor planning to become pregnant (not for a little while anyway! haha - one day!)

I read in another thread that prenatal vitiams are good for you and can help with hair loss. In the past month or two I have noticed more and more of my hair falling out (I am assuming something to do with my weight loss).

I just wanted to know more about this vitiams, can I just pick them up anywhere? do I have to speak with my doctor before taking them? will they cause any problems taking them with my birthday control? and are they okay to take even if I dont plan on getting pregnant for a few years.

thanks for your help!

You may want to consider your diet...are you getting enough fat? I went on a low fat diet and started losing hair left and right. Prenatal vitamins are over the counter and don't interact with birth control. They just have a good deal of folate and iron plus other stuff. The iron can really stop you up.

My average fat for the past month, is 48grams or 29%.

taking a good multivitamin sure won't hurt you....sounds like you are getting plenty of fat.

Prenatal vitamins are really only multivitamins with (as DairyFairy said) a little extra iron & folate. They're nothing special (in fact, one of the common suggestions to women who have a hard time keeping 'em down is to take Flintstones Complete chewable vitamins instead).

Whenever I compare prenatals with "regular" women's multivitamins, I find that the prenatals have less calcium.

But I hear so many people talk about how prenatal vitamins have improved their hair and nails. Is this all in their heads? Or do you think maybe these women weren't taking a multi at all before, or what? Because I have to admit I've been tempted!

Just to reconfirm what Sabra said, I was told I could take 2 children’s chewable vitamins in place of one prenatal vitamin when I was having trouble “choking” them down.

You might want to consider if you have any other symptoms of thyroid issues. Thinning hair is a big one.
Also, you might consider a B1-C and Cysteine supplement - did fabulous things for my hair!

My mom has been experiencing hair loss too (also dieting). She was checked out by her dr and has a thyroid issue. So prenatals would not have worked in her case.

Many pg women go for the 2 flintstones chewable vitamins instead like Sabra mention. Prenatals are huge and can cause discomfort. They can be sold OTC or with a Rx.

My personal experience: I have been on prenatals for the last 2 years and the only time my hair and nails have been healthier/stronger is when I am actually pg. So I think it has more to do with pg hormones for me.

I second Ottoette's comments. Your hair loss can be related to different causes (diet, thyroid, etc) You might want to schedule a check up with your dr, just to make sure there isn't something else going on.

thanks for you tips. I did some reading and I am just going to try and take my multivitiams on a daily basis (the one I have - have .4mg of folic acid and that is the recommened ammount) - I am going to take those on a daily basis and up my protien - and if that doesnt help I am definatly going to go see a doctor!

Just a comment - semi OT - I have NEVER seen prenatal vitamins sold OTC in any grocery store or pharmacy around me! And my doc has automatically given me a script at my first visit with each of my pregancies. I'm curious to know if I'm just blind, or if this is perhaps a regional thing and I'm NOT crazy. :dizzy:

Just a comment - semi OT - I have NEVER seen prenatal vitamins sold OTC in any grocery store or pharmacy around me! And my doc has automatically given me a script at my first visit with each of my pregancies. I'm curious to know if I'm just blind, or if this is perhaps a regional thing and I'm NOT crazy.
I got mine OTC at SAMs CLUB.......I'm in ND.

I'm not sure if it's a regional thing, but I would be surprised if it is. I've seen or purchased them at CVS, Walgreens, Target and a couple of grocery stores in Texas. Sometimes they're separated with the other multivitamins, sometimes stuck in with the individual vitamins and other dietary supplements like acidophilus.

I've seen them at the chain stores too. They can be hard to find, but they're usually with the other daily vitamins. There are usually only 1 or 2 brands of prenatals there.

My local stores all carry prenatal vitamins-Wal-Mart, Kroger, etc.

I echo the fact that it could be related to your weight loss/diet. It ALSO could be related to stress...or even a recent hair process-such as a perm, or a color. (I am a licensed cosmotologist.) I would go more for one of those answers before assuming that it is thyroid.

You seem to be getting enough fat, but how about protein? That is another dietary cause.

Prenates don't really do anything more for the hair and nails than regular multivitamins. :D

Fiona - The OTC prenatal vitamin was news to me also. I’ve never heard of anyone getting them OTC or I've never seen them OTC in Minnesota but I've never really looked that hard either because I thought you needed a prescription. Maybe it is a regional thing or maybe I just need to look harder.

Well that makes two of us - I'm in MN too - good enough proof for me. I am officially NOT crazy. At least on this subject. ;)

My local stores all carry prenatal vitamins-Wal-Mart, Kroger, etc.

I echo the fact that it could be related to your weight loss/diet. It ALSO could be related to stress...or even a recent hair process-such as a perm, or a color. (I am a licensed cosmotologist.) I would go more for one of those answers before assuming that it is thyroid.

You seem to be getting enough fat, but how about protein? That is another dietary cause.

Prenates don't really do anything more for the hair and nails than regular multivitamins. :D

my average protien is about 85 grams - working on upping that

i do colour, but with wash out dye.... and i blow dry and straighen on a daily basis

The cause could very well be the colour and styling. Are you using semi-permanent dye, that washes out over the course of a month or so? It is still chemical procesing. I would actually say that the straightening would be the most likely cause, however-because you "pull" the hair when you straighten. The same sort of hair loss can happen when someone wears a ponytail all the time-the hair can fall out some or break at the top of the head where the hair is constantly "pulled".
Is there any way you can cut the straightening to only a couple times a week, rather than daily? (Use cool hair ornaments/clips/barrettes/bandana/etc. on other days?)
Also, cut the coloring to every 6 weeks or less.

Fiona, check near the Women's vitamins (like woman's one a day) or the kiddie vitamins...you might find some OTC prentals there. I take otc prentals with extra folate and iron since there are two and those get depleted more with two. I could take calcium but since I am helping my son drink 4 or 5 gallons of milk a week I am guessing I'm ok on that front :lol: You know after LAWL's one dairy serving I am gorging and LOVING IT.

I never found prenatals OTC until I started actually looking for them. :) I've bought them in Virginia, Hawaii, and Texas.

I was giving some thought to why folks think prenatals help with hair loss, & it occurs to me that it's probably because a lot of us get much nicer hair during pregnancy. Mine grew about six inches during my last pregnancy.

Mine grows like a weed when I am pregnant, too. I also grew about 6 inches or so of hair during this pregnancy. :)

I tend to actually "lose" a lot of hair afterwards though, due to the hormonal changes-and it doesn't fill back in until my babe's are about a eyar or so old...so it gets long, but then gets thin....and then goes back to normal. :p

I also had issues with my hair falling out and breaking while dieting. And one thing it is linked to is iron deficiency/anemia, which I do have. So it was recommended to take a vitamin for that reason. Prenatals have an over abundance of iron.

I'm pregnant now, so my hair is looking pretty good, but I'm not looking forward to the "faux bangs" as I call them.