how long should you take prenatal before getting pregnant?
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If you're thinking about getting pregnant, start focusing on your health at least 3 months before you start trying to get pregnant. If you have health conditions that may affect a pregnancy, you may need longer to get your body ready to have a baby.
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Start taking folic acid at least 1 month before you start trying to get pregnant. The first few weeks of pregnancy are a really important time for fetal health and development. Taking folic acid and other prenatal vitamins can help reduce the risk of some birth defects.
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You usually take folic acid once a day, but sometimes you only need to take it once a week. Most adults and children can take folic acid. If you're pregnant or trying for a baby, it's recommended you take folic acid until you're 12 weeks pregnant.
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Ideally, you should take folic acid supplements for two to three months before you conceive and until you are 12 weeks pregnant. But try not to worry if you haven't started taking the supplements yet and start taking it now.
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Here's what you can do: Wait at least 18 months after having a baby before getting pregnant again. Give your body this time to recover from your last pregnancy before you get pregnant again.
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Now, experts suggest starting a prenatal vitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid before you try to have a baby. This important nutrient prevents spinal defects in growing babies. See if your prenatal vitamin has DHA. This type of omega-3 fatty acid can help the health of your baby once you get pregnant.
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The best reason to take prenatal vitamins is to protect your baby from defects of the brain and spine, like spina bifida. These defects develop in the first month of your baby's growth, before some women even know they're pregnant. So it's best to start prenatal vitamins before you try to get pregnant.
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Our rule of thumb: You should consider taking prenatal vitamins when you're thinking, trying, and when it's time. 3 months ahead of time is often a good benchmark to aim for.
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Folic acid is a pregnancy superhero! Taking a prenatal vitamin with the recommended 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid before and during pregnancy can help prevent birth defects of your baby's brain and spinal cord. Take it every day and go ahead and have a bowl of fortified cereal, too.
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The takeaway. If you're thinking seriously about becoming pregnant in the next few months, starting a prenatal vitamin should be at the top of your preconception to-do list. If you're already pregnant, begin taking one ASAP. It will help your baby grow strong and healthy (and help you stay strong and healthy, too!).
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No other supplements are recommended for routine use. The researchers' findings confirmed NICE recommendations: Folic acid (400 micrograms) should be taken when trying to conceive and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy to protect against neural tube defects (NTD), such as spina bifida, in babies.
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Risk for this defect is highest in the first trimester, especially during the first few weeks, which is why it's ideal to start taking prenatal vitamins three months before conception.
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And it's true that you're pregnant for about 9 months. But because pregnancy is measured from the first day of your last menstrual period — about 3-4 weeks before you're actually pregnant — a full-term pregnancy usually totals about 40 weeks from LMP — roughly 10 months.
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Whether or not you're pregnant, you should talk to your doctor before adding any prenatals or other supplements to your health routine. If there's any chance you could get pregnant soon, yes, experts do suggest taking some form of folic acid.
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When should I take prenatal vitamins? Always talk with your doctor before starting to take prenatal vitamins. If you're trying to conceive or are pregnant, your doctor will likely recommend that you take them. While you can buy prenatal vitamins over the counter, doctors can prescribe them too.
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It's recommended that all women who could get pregnant should take a daily supplement of folic acid. You should take a 400 microgram supplement of folic acid every day before you get pregnant, and every day afterwards, up until you're 12 weeks pregnant. A microgram is 1,000 times smaller than a milligram (mg).
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A. You need to be fasting for 12 hours prior to your test. Nothing to eat, but you can drink all the water you want. It is okay to take your prenatal vitamins, and any other medications that can be taken without food.