Women today typically start trying to conceive later in life than they did in past eras. Clearly many cultural and societal issues are behind this trend. With advancing age, the ability to easily get pregnant does decline for many women. However, infertility is an issue that plagues women (and men) of all ages. The good news is that we know more than ever about these issues and have a host of strategies at hand to help aid conception for those who want assistance in getting pregnant. One of those strategies is taking a personalized vitamin assessment to understand your specific vitamin needs. Vitamins paly an essential role in conception and pregnancy.
The field of medicine known as reproductive endocrinology has made incredible advances, some may argue almost to the point of science fiction–like capabilities. The ethical issues of reproductive technology are complicated and worthy of their own volume. However, we do encourage any woman with concerns about getting pregnant to seek medical advice early and often, since this is one aspect of health where the early bird does get the worm (the earlier in life you start trying, the higher your success rates typically are). That being said, not everyone needs high-tech interventions to conceive.
There are some simple lifestyle and nutritional strategies, including the use of vitamins, that can enhance anyone’s efforts to get pregnant. So many women struggle with infertility issues. We hear so often the tales from women trying to conceive: counting each day of the month to determine ovulation, waiting on pins and needles to miss your period, wasting hundreds of dollars on home pregnancy tests, and the stress that can ensue from this process. Many common medical and nonmedical reasons may be the cause (do discuss these with your physician). Treatments from acupuncture to yoga to Chinese herbs have been tried with varying degrees of success. But perhaps first and foremost, getting a woman’s own health in order is the biggest key to conception.
There are many factors included in optimal health, such as a healthful diet, regular exercise, sufficient sleep, a thorough gynecological checkup, and finding the right balance of certain nutrients. Good nutrition for the fetus is perhaps the first thing a woman can do to give her child a great start in life, even before conception, by adopting a complete and toxin-free diet (i.e., minimize processed foods).
However, some vitamins need supplementation since most people (even healthy eaters) do not get enough via diet alone. Getting the right vitamins before pregnancy is better for both getting pregnant and then having a healthy pregnancy and baby. And once a woman is pregnant, the role of vitamins in maintaining the pregnancy and optimizing the health of the mother and baby cannot be overstated.
We should make a distinction here between what is typically termed a “prenatal vitamin” and a typical multivitamin. The difference is actually often minimal and largely a matter of nomenclature. Of course products differ in their exact ingredients and amounts. But, generally speaking, a prenatal vitamin contains the typical multivitamin nutrients and is perhaps heavier on folic acid, iron, and iodine. Many common multivitamins, however, meet these needs adequately.
The one component of prenatal regimens that is typically lacking in a multivitamin is the omega-3 component that is important later in pregnancy for neurological development. For this reason, most women can be well-served taking a traditional multivitamin up until conception. On the flip side, taking a prenatal vitamin for months leading up to conception is also perfectly acceptable and preferred to taking no vitamins at all. Many women take prenatal vitamins before, during, and after pregnancy.
Not all prenatal women are the same and therefore, they do not all have the same vitamin needs. A vegetarian might have different vitamin needs compared to a meat eater. It is important to take a personalized vitamin assessment and get a prenatal vitamin composed for your specific needs.
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