Should You Use Supplements While Pregnant?
Pregnancy is one of the great joys many women and couples experience. Yet, pregnancy comes with many challenges. Some women have difficult symptoms and need additional rest and support. There is also the risk of complications for mother and baby. Most doctors recommend a healthy diet to get enough vitamins and minerals, which can reduce the chances of complications. However, some women also need to use supplements. Supplements provide synthetic forms of vitamins and minerals not acquired in the diet. But is taking supplements while pregnant safe?
What’s safe and what’s not?
The supplement industry is vast and diverse, with hundreds, if not thousands, of vitamins, herbs, and minerals on the market. Many are effective, but some can be dangerous in certain situations. Furthermore, some supplements women should avoid altogether, as these boosters pose a risk to mothers and babies. Most doctors will recommend a prenatal vitamin. Prenatal vitamins, for instance, contain folic acid, iron, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), choline, zinc, and several others necessary for pregnancy. Conversely, supplements like saw palmetto, licorice, yohimbe, yarrow, and many others are dangerous when pregnant. Excess vitamins A, C, D, and E are also not recommended.
Have you heard of compounding?
If some of these supplements are dangerous, how can women get the right vitamins and minerals? A discussion with a local pharmacist can reveal the power of compounding. A compound pharmacist can create a customized drug to meet the pregnant patient’s needs. The initial concepts of pharmacies were based on compounding. Now, due to mass production, patients receive the convenience of supplements but miss out on the power of compounding.
The right mix
Over-the-counter prenatal supplements may have the correct supply of certain vitamins and minerals. However, some may have too much of one or not enough of another. A compounding pharmacist can formulate a supplement with the right mix of vitamins and minerals. The doctor can recommend specific vitamins and minerals, and the pharmacist can create the exact doses necessary for a healthy pregnancy.
Easy-to-use forms
Creating supplements in different forms is one of the most significant advantages of compounding. This step can be a great help to pregnant women. Some women have trouble ingesting large pills due to nausea or difficulties swallowing. A compounding pharmacist can make a chewable, gummy, or liquid version of a supplement. This helps with medication adherence, as consistency makes supplements more effective.
Avoiding allergies
Some over-the-counter multivitamins have ingredients, additives, and vitamins that create allergic reactions. In addition to the allergic reactions, excess vitamin intake can cause reactions or complications in the future. The compounding pharmacist can omit additives or ingredients that may be harmful. Safety should take priority, and compounding achieves this.
Count on compounding
Doctors want to ensure women are healthy during pregnancy. Vitamins and supplements can help but must be used correctly, while some must be avoided altogether. Compounding allows pharmacists to create customized solutions for women. This helps women stay safe to focus on a healthy delivery.
