Can You Take Prenatal Vitamins Without Being Pregnant?

There's quite an allure, and a slew of old wives' tales, attached to prenatal vitamins. Many women have come to believe that taking them, pregnant or not, will help their hair and nails grow faster, and even give them an extra dose of healthy and necessary nutrients. But the truth is far more complicated. Woman's Day spoke with medical experts to learn more about the pros and cons of taking prenatal vitamins when you're not expecting.

What are Prenatal Vitamins?

So, what exactly are prenatal vitamins? “The dosages of vitamins and minerals in prenatal vitamins are the same ones that can be found in regular multivitamins, but the dosages are higher because the body requirements are higher during pregnancy,” Dr. Lucky Sekhon, reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at Reproductive Medicine Associates of NY, tells Woman's Day. "They are geared towards optimizing fetal growth and development. The main difference is that you’re given extra folic acid, typically about 400mcg a day. Prenatal vitamins should ideally be taken three months before becoming pregnant, but even taking them just one month before can greatly reduce risks of neural tube defects and spinal cord issues, such as spina bifida."

What do Prenatal Vitamins Contain?

All prenatal vitamins contain different combinations of micronutrients that are aimed to ensure a pregnant person and their baby get all the vitamins and minerals they need. However, pregnant people aren't the only people who can take prenatals. They're also recommended for people who are trying to get pregnant or are breast feeding. Every person is different, and that's why finding a specific prenatal vitamin that works for you is key.

Dr. Banafsheh Bayati, MD, OB/GYN, FACOG is co-founder of Perelel Medical, the first & only OB/GYN-founded vitamin brand. Dr. Bayati explains that Perelel formulates prenatals that change with a woman's needs from conception and through each trimester of pregnancy and post-partum.

"We identified the specific micronutrients and their appropriate RDA (recommended dietary allowances) for women in the non-pregnant, pregnant, and lactation stages determined by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine (IOM), The RDA for many micronutrients including all the B vitamins, iron, vitamin D, zinc and selenium increase during pregnancy," Dr. Bayati says. "Thus the IOM recommends a daily prenatal multivitamin before conception and during pregnancy. This is specifically to ensure adequate folate for rapid cell growth needed for fetal and placental development as well as increased need for iron supplementation."

What is the Difference Between Prenatal Vitamins and Regular Vitamins?

Though prenatal vitamins and regular vitamins work the same way – to provide your body with micronutrients that it may be lacking — there are some key differences between the two, specifically when it comes to ingredients. For example, as an article on Mom.com explains, there is a specific amount of folic acid and iron that pregnant people are supposed to have in their diet. A prenatal vitamin ensures that those exact levels are met, whereas a regular multivitamin might have some amount of folic acid or iron, but necessarily enough to meet the threshold recommended for pregnant people.

As always, it's important that you consult a health care provider or family physician prior to taking any over-the-counter medication or starting a vitamin regimen. After all, what works for one body does not work for all. But if you do have lingering questions about taking prenatal vitamins when you're not pregnant, here's what you need to know: