In pregnancy do I need a multivitamin and when do I need the extra calories?
At 7 weeks pregnant I pay my doctor a visit so that I can get referrals for a local hospital and 12 week scan. I also have a couple of important questions that need answering. She double checks my initial blood work, tells me they’re great and begins to write out my referrals. I take this opportunity to ask her;
Do I need to take a pregnancy multivitamin?
I mention that I’m currently only taking an i-folate (the “i” stands for iodine) supplement (my doctor actually recommended that I start taking this whilst trying to conceive) and asked whether, like most pregnant mums-to-be I know, I should also be taking a pregnancy multivitamin. I have generally always made an effort to eat healthy and keep my diet balanced, by eating plenty of fresh whole foods and try cooking everything myself from scratch. As the doctor is aware of my healthy eating and lifestyle, she says there is no need for someone like me to take a pregnancy multivitamin at this stage. That for now the i-folate supplement will suffice and we can revisit the need for other supplements should I need them further along in the pregnancy.