One A Day® prenatal vitamins are multivitamins made for pregnant women by Bayer Healthcare. One A Day® prenatal packages contain two pills: a tablet loaded with high amounts of folic acid and iron, and a liquid gel capsule containing DHA, an Omega-3 fatty acid. The tablets contain extra folic acid because it's believed that a diet rich in folate might help prevent brain and spinal cord birth defects in infants. The higher amounts of iron are intended to help increase oxygen flow to fetuses. The DHA liquid gel capsules help with fetal brain and eye development.
Medical experts generally recommend that pregnant women take some kind of prenatal vitamin to ensure healthy fetal development and to ensure daily intake requirements are met. It doesn't necessarily have to be One A Day's®, as there are other competitive over-the-counter brands as well as prescription vitamins that a doctor might recommend. As always, one should consult a doctor before making significant dietary changes.
Most One A Day® prenatal vitamins come packaged in boxes containing 60 pills, broken up into 30 tablets and 30 DHA liquid gel capsules. Each pill is supposed to be taken daily, although it's typically fine to take them separately at different times of the day. Pregnant women usually experience increased needs for iron, calcium and folic acid; One A Day® prenatal vitamins help ensure that those increased needs are met. DHA liquid gel capsules are also especially important, as they're probably the safest source of Omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy.
When not expecting, women can normally get their Omega-3 intake from fish. While pregnant, however, regularly eating fish is usually not recommended. By taking DHA liquid gel capsules, women and fetuses are able to safely intake the recommended amount of Omega-3s.
Perhaps one of the most common questions surrounding One A Day® prenatal vitamins is when to start and stop taking the vitamins. It is generally recommended that women begin taking prenatal vitamins when trying to conceive and to continue taking them while breastfeeding. When nursing, babies still stand to gain a lot from prenatal vitamins passed through their mothers' milk, especially from DHA liquid gel capsules, which continue to help stimulate eye and brain development.
Not all prenatal multivitamin brands require taking two pills a day. Many bunch all the nutrients into one simple pill. As such, choosing the right prenatal pill often comes down to a matter of preference. Some don't mind taking two pills, while others find it cumbersome. Choosing a prenatal vitamin is also something that should be discussed with a physician, so a person can take into consideration their individual health history, such as allergies and special dietary needs.