While you may ordinarily eat a healthy diet, pregnancy creates an additional strain on your body. In addition to needing more calories to support your growing baby, you need more energy and nutrients to foster his or her development.1,2 Unfortunately, many women are unable to meet the requirements through diet alone. That's why it's so important to talk to your doctor or healthcare provider about a prescription for CitraNatal prenatal vitamins.
Benefits of prenatal vitamins
There are many benefits associated with prenatal vitamins, including:
- Folic Acid helps prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida5,6
- Iron can prevent iron deficiency anemia, which sometimes occurs during pregnancy8
- Vitamin B6 helps reduce nausea in pregnant women7
- Multivitamins can help prevent preeclampsia and preterm birth3,4
- DHA can help bolster the development of your baby's brain and eyes9-11
Learn more about the vitamins and minerals your baby needs for healthy development.
WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. KEEP THIS PRODUCT OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.
If you are pregnant, may become pregnant, or recently gave birth, CitraNatal® ® prescription multivitamins are designed to improve your nutritional health. Be sure to talk with your physician or healthcare practitioner prior to starting any prescription prenatal vitamin regimen.
Important Safety Information
All CitraNatal® products contain Folic acid, which has been shown to reduce the risk of neural tube defects. Some patients taking Folic acid have reported allergic reactions. Talk to your doctor before taking CitraNatal® if you have a known sensitivity to any of its ingredients.
CitraNatal® products are not for everyone. If you have certain types of anemia (pernicious anemia or other megaloblastic anemias) and you are vitamin B12 deficient, Folic acid alone is not enough to treat your condition. Doses of more than 0.1 mg Folic acid per day can hide the symptoms of these anemias, making them difficult to diagnose. Consult with your doctor to find the treatment that is right for you.
Certain CitraNatal® products contain an all-natural, plant-based form of DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid that is found in the brain and eye. You should exercise caution to ensure that your prescribed dosage does not exceed 1 gram (1000 mg) per day. Taking more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day has been shown to have antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and reduced clotting ratio (INR). Inform your doctor and avoid taking omega-3 fatty acids if you are currently taking anticoagulants (blood thinners) or if you have an inherited or acquired tendency to bleed.
CitraNatal® products include iron. Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under six. Always keep CitraNatal® products and other medications out of reach of children, and in case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.
To report negative side effects, contact Mission Pharmacal Company at 1-800-298-1087 or the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
- Dietary supplement fact sheet: iron [Internet]. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements; 2007 Aug 24 [cited 2008 Apr 20]. Available from: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/iron.asp
- Ladipo AL. Nutrition in pregnancy: mineral and vitamin supplements. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 Jul;72(1 Suppl):280S-290S.
- Bodnar LM, Tang G, Ness RB, Harger G, Roberts JM. Periconceptional multivitamin use reduces the risk of preeclampsia. Am J Epidemiol. 2006 Sep 1;164(5):470-7. Epub 2006 Jun 13.
- Vahratian A, Siega-Riz AM, Savitz DA, Thorp JM Jr. Multivitamin use and the risk of preterm birth. Am J Epidemiol. 2004 Nov 1;160(9):886-92.
- Werler MM, Shapiro S, Mitchell AA. Periconceptional folic acid exposure and risk of occurrent neural tube defects. JAMA. 1993 Mar 10;269(10):1257-61.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Spina bifida and anencephaly before and after folic acid mandate--United States, 1995-1996 and 1999-2000. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2004 May 7;53(17):362-5.
- Sahakian V, Rouse D, Sipes S, Rose N, Niebyl J. Vitamin B6 is effective therapy for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study.Obstet Gynecol. 1991 Jul;78(1):33-6.
- Gordeuk VR, Brittenham GM, Hughes M, Keating LJ, Opplt JJ. High-dose carbonyl iron for iron deficiency anemia: a randomized double-blind trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 1987 Dec;46(6):1029-34.
- Jacobson JL, Jacobson SW, Muckle G, Kaplan-Estrin M, Ayotte P, Dewailly E. Beneficial effects of a polyunsaturated fatty acid on infant development: evidence from the inuit of arctic Quebec. J Pediatr. 2008 Mar;152(3):356-64. Epub 2007 Oct 22.
- Innis SM, Friesen RW. Essential n-3 fatty acids in pregnant women and early visual acuity maturation in term infants. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Mar;87(3):548-57.
- Judge MP, Harel O, Lammi-Keefe CJ. Maternal consumption of a docosahexaenoic acid-containing functional food during pregnancy: benefit for infant performance on problem-solving but not on recognition memory tasks at age 9 mo. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Jun;85(6):1572-7.
Expecting? Estimate your due date with this online pregnancy wheel.
Click here for an interactive guide to a baby's growth and development during a typical pregnancy.
