Can prenatal vitamins cause fibroids to grow?
Prenatal vitamins are specifically formulated to support the increased demands on a woman’s body during pregnancy. They are rich in essential nutrients like folic acid, iron, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are critical for the health of both mom and baby.
Taking prenatal vitamins regularly has been linked to numerous benefits, like reducing the risk of birth defects, providing nutrients essential for baby’s development, boosting energy levels, supporting maternal health by compensating for deficiencies during pregnancy and providing nutrients postpartum, supporting recovery and breastfeeding.
Prenatal vitamins work best when taken consistently. It’s advisable to start taking them even before conceiving and continue throughout pregnancy and even during breastfeeding.
When it comes to choosing the right prenatal vitamin, it’s essential to consult with your healthcare provider and find one that suits your specific needs.
Prenatal vitamins must include the following medications:
1. Folic acid: essential for the healthy development of the brain, spinal cord and other nervous tissues. Women who dont take folic acid during pregnancy may have babies with anencephaly and spinal bifida. Anencephaly is not compatible with life.
2. Vitamin C: essential for iron absorption in the stomach. Iron is essential for blood production.
3. Iron supplements: fesolate or tothema are important iron containing medicines. Iron is essential for blood production, it stimulates the bone marrow to produce red blood cells and other cell lines.
4. Calcium supplements: essential for the development of strong bones.
5. Vitamin B12: pregnancy naturally comes with the unending loss of appetite especially in the early stages of first trimester…this is because of the high levels of bHCG, oestrogen and progesterone. Vitamin E will help boost your appetite in pregnancy.
Vitamins A, E and Omega 3 fatty acids,collagen supplements are not prenatal vitamins ….they are optional.
Now that you know about prenatal vitamins and their importance….we can now move on to the main topic of this article….
Can prenatal vitamins cause fibroids to grow?
Uterine fibroids are abnormal growth in the womb that may be located with the muscle called intramural, in the cavity and on the surrounding tissues called subserosal . What makes fibroid masses to grow and increase its size are special hormones called estrogen and progesterone not prenatal vitamins as many people erroneously believe.
Prenatal vitamins has no oestrogen or progesterone component and so cannot make fibroid masses to grow or even increase in size.
That also means you can take prenatal vitamins even when you have uterine fibroids and best rest assured that it will not increase the fibroid size.
Ladies trying to conceive should start taking folic acid…it is also a preconception vitamin….don’t worry, it will not make you grow fibroid.
#fyp
Dr Udomoh ESHEMOKHA
