What happens if you take a prenatal vitamin and youre not pregnant?

If you’re pregnant, then you already know the importance of taking a prenatal vitamin; it’s just about the first thing the nurse will tell you when you call to schedule your first pregnancy appointment. If you’re not expecting, there are reasons you might be wondering if you can take prenatal vitamins when you’re not pregnant. Maybe you’re hoping to get some of the shiny hair and strong nails common among pregnant women (sorry to burst your bubble, but that’s more due to hormones than it is vitamins) or maybe you think if it’s safe for pregnancy, it’s safe for you too.

Here, we spoke to two OB/GYNs on what happens if you take prenatal vitamins when you’re not pregnant.

Can I take prenatal vitamins if I’m not pregnant?

First things first, there is one very good reason you would choose to take prenatals when you’re not pregnant, and that’s if you’re hoping to become pregnant within the next three or so months. “Prenatal vitamins are safe to take when not pregnant, and it is in fact desired to start prenatals prior to pregnancy,” Monique Brotman, board-certified OB/GYN, tells Romper.

However, if you’re not pregnant, and you’re not breastfeeding or trying to conceive, there’s no real reason why it would make sense to take these supplements, though it’s probably basically safe (barring some rare events).

Side effects of taking prenatals while pregnant

“Prenatal vitamins are specifically formulated for pregnant women, breastfeeding women, or for women who are trying to conceive,” Kecia Gaither, MD, MPH, FACOG, double board-certified in OB/GYN and Maternal Fetal Medicine tells Romper. She says the three main nutrients a prenatal usually has is folic acid, calcium, and iron (some skip iron because it can be tough on the stomach).

“Women who aren't within the above named categories [TTC, pregnant, nursing] should consult with their physicians as to whether supplementation of these specific nutrients is required, based on underlying comorbidities,” Gaither says. “As a general rule, unless you aren’t within the cohort so mentioned, you should be acquiring all the needed nutrients from a healthy diet. High levels of certain nutrients over a protracted period of time may be more harmful than helpful.” For example, and this is rare, but if you’re not pregnant, getting too much folic acid could potentially mask signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency.

If you’re not eating a lot, and thinking the prenatal will supply you with the nutrients you need, you’ll quickly find yourself lacking is essential nutrients, as even prenatals contain only a fraction of the nutritional needs you need per day. On the flipside, (and this is why it’s not recommended that pregnant women take two prenatals the next day if they accidentally forget to take it the day before) taking too many could result in stomach trouble, especially for fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E and K) which are found in prenatals.

Benefits of prenatal vitamins

“Prenatal vitamins help with overall health and wellness making sure that all essential vitamins and minerals are ingested,” Brotman tells Romper. While you don’t need a prenatal vitamin if you’re not pregnant, nursing, or trying to conceive, there are big benefits to taking prenatals daily if you are.

“In order to reduce the risk of having a child with neural tube defects, it is advised that women who are trying to become pregnant take 400-800 micrograms of the [folic acid] daily,” Gaither tells Romper. Iron supports the development of the placenta, and Gaither says the recommended intake of iron is 27 mg per day. “It's important in the production of red blood cells, and too little reserve can result in iron deficiency anemia.” As for calcium, she says that it’s important for bone development in the fetus and pregnant women require about 1000 mg/day. You may notice your prenatal only has 200 or 300 mg which is because the rest of the daily requirement should be met through diet.

If you accidentally buy prenatals and you’re not pregnant or you have some leftover from when you were pregnant, you’re probably wondering if you can take prenatals when you’re not pregnant. It’s not the end of the world to take them, but you won’t get any real benefit other than what you would from any other vitamin. Plus, prenatals are often more expensive than their counterparts, so it just doesn’t really make sense.

Taking prenatal vitamins when not pregnant is a regimen some women swear by for health and beauty benefits, but whether the technique is a safe thing to do is not clear-cut.

Prenatal vitamins typically contain folic acid, a derivative of vitamin B, which helps to prevent brain and spine birth defects in babies, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all women of reproductive age take 400 micrograms of folic acid each day, but the health agency doesn't say the daily serving has to come from a prenatal supplement.

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Jeff Gladd of Fort Wayne, Indiana, chief medical officer and private practice integrative medicine doctor at Fullscript, an online supplement dispensary, told Fox News Digital that women who are not pregnant generally benefit from taking prenatal vitamins as their multivitamin.

Pregnant and nonpregnant women can receive benefits from dietary supplements. (iStock)

"There are some caveats they should be aware of which can make prenatals an advantage for some that are not pregnant while being a disadvantage to others," Gladd said. "Knowing one's nutrient needs more in-depth with regular blood work is often the differentiator."

Prenatal vitamins tend to "beyond a general multivitamin" because "pregnant women often need additional support" for their babies, according to Gladd.

The vitamins formulated for pregnant women are high in iron, folic acid (usually in the form of methylfolate) and omega-3 fatty acids.

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"[These vitamins and minerals] are important for both women and men to consider supplementally, so typically are not a reason one should avoid a prenatal," Gladd said.

Iron benefits and detriments

Pregnant women usually require more iron and prenatal vitamins often offer support in this area, Gladd said. 

"Iron is not always needed by a woman who is not pregnant, and it is one of those nutrients you definitely do not want excess amounts of," he continued. 

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At the same, iron in prenatal vitamins could offer a variety of benefits to nonpregnant women who are deficient in the mineral, according to Gladd.

Iron is a mineral that's commonly found in daily multivitamins. (iStock)

Gladd noted that iron deficiencies can be caused by regular blood loss through menstruation, diets low in red meat or common acid-suppressing medications that can potentially decrease iron absorption. 

"This fine balance of not wanting too much or too little iron is why I so often measure my patients' iron and ferritin – a stored form of iron – levels with bloodwork to determine their daily iron needs and whether or not a prenatal vitamin is appropriate for them," Gladd said.

Folic acid benefits and detriments

Gladd told Fox News Digital that folic acid and vitamin B9 helps to prevent neural tube defects of the spinal cord in developing fetuses, and pregnant women are usually recommended a minimum dose of 400 micrograms per day.

"This level of folic acid is fairly common in non-prenatal multivitamins, so it's often not a concern [for nonpregnant women to take]," Gladd said.

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Folic acid can be taken if a person has a vitamin B deficiency that causes certain types of anemia, according to MedlinePlus, an online medical information service produced by the United States National Library of Medicine.

Folic acid is a vitamin B derivative that can be found in prenatal and daily multivitamins. (istock)

"Take folic acid exactly as directed," MedlinePlus wrote in a folic acid guide. "Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor."

The FDA warns that high intakes of folic acid could pose potential health risks, though the risks are largely unknown since it requires more research.

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"FDA itself limited the folic acid content of fortified foods, formulas, and non-prescription vitamin supplements to no more than 1 mg. because it was known that more than 5 mg. a day can mask vitamin B12 deficiency," the FDA wrote in a Folic Acid Fortification: Fact and Folly report.

Omega-3 fatty acid benefits and detriments

Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential nutrient for all people, but women can benefit from taking these polyunsaturated fats whether they plan on getting pregnant or not.

"Prenatal omega-3 fatty acid intake is growing in its importance thanks to the research," Gladd told Fox News Digital. "It is best for any reproductive-aged female to be getting this additional folate support in case of pregnancy as the need to baby is present so early on."

Gladd said prenatal vitamins that contain omega-3 fatty acid might help nonpregnant women who are deficient in the nutrient, especially if their diet is lacking an optimal supply.

Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats that can found in foods and supplements. (iStock)

Omega-3 deficiencies can cause rough, scaly skin and dermatitis, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH): Office of Dietary Supplements.

The NIH recommends teenage girls and women consume 1.1 grams of Omega-3 in the form of alpha-linolenic acid. Pregnant teens and women should consume 1.4 grams.

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Ingesting too much Omega-3 fatty acid could pose a potential risk for people who have been prescribed a blood thinning medication, the NIH reports.