Medications

Please notify me of all chronic medication that you are on. If you consult with your GP or casualty officer during pregnancy, please inform them that you are pregnant.
Vitamins are needed for growth and development of the foetus.

Vitamins recommended

  1. Folic acid
  • Folic acid helps to reduce the risk of your baby having spina bifida, heart or limb defects and some childhood brain tumours. Ideally, you should start taking extra folic acid before you conceive and can continue throughout pregnancy. Dose of 5mg/day. Multivitamin
  • Pregnancy specific preparations are best. Options include Stella mamma, Pregnavit, Preg-Omega plus and others.
  • Calcium-Advised, often included in the pregnancy vitamin. Can omit in the first trimester if it worsens nausea and constipation.
  • Magnesium-may be helpful for leg cramps.
  1. Probiotics
  • Increased popularity but not routinely recommended. Studies do not show increased risk to the foetus but data is limited. Some evidence shows reduced inflammatory processes in the mother e.g. pre-eclampsia and improved glucose metabolism.
  • Please stop omega capsules, flax seed oil, arnica and ecotrin at 36 weeks to avoid excessive bleeding during delivery.

Vitamins not recommended

  1. Vitamin A
  • Too much vitamin A can harm the development of your unborn baby’s nervous system. During pregnancy, avoid any supplements that contain more than 700 micrograms (μg) of vitamin A and don’t eat foods such as liver, liver products (pâté) or fish liver oils that may contain this vitamin in high levels.
  1. Vitamin E
  • There is currently no evidence to recommend additional vitamin E during pregnancy.
  1. Vitamin B supplements
  • You do not need any other vitamin B supplements in pregnancy.
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