question about vitamins

[Nini2686]

I'm about 5 week pregnant and have a thyroid problem so I take my synthroid every day but I have also been taking a one a day vitamin called Centrum. Is this ok?  My doctor's appointment isn't until 2 mondays from now. Can I take this centrum instead of a prenatal?

[Nini2686]

thanks ladies for doing that research.

[Rhi315]

Mine has 4,000 which is 50% of rec. daily intake, so probably not. But it depends on your diet as well.

[Someemily]

Oh, I'm talking about vitamin a btw. :-)

[Someemily]

My prenatal vitamin has 5000 iu (equivalent to 1500 mcg). Is this unsafe?

[Rhi315]

Ginseng-Causes changes in rat embryos, it is unknown if will effect a human embryo.

vitamin a-Upper safe level for daily supplementation = 2300µg (800µg in Pregnancy) your centrum contains 800. Because very high intakes of vitamin A have been reported to cause birth defects (4) (no such cases have been reported in the UK), the Chief Medical Officer advises that pregnant women should not eat liver. Also, supplements of more than 800 µg vitamin A have to carry a warning for pregnant women not to take them. (note the MORE than)

Ginko Biloba-Because of the chance in having side effects when taking the Ginkgo biloba supplement, pregnant women have been advised not to take it. Experts are not sure what the effects of Ginkgo biloba are, and the herb as been the center of many controversial studies. There has yet to be a safe dosage established.

There is no evidence that any of this will harm your baby. They are required by law to put warning labels on their product. I know people who have smoked marijuana, done ecstacy, and drank often and did not find out they were pregnant until they were 4 months. Their babies are all perfect. Just the same, if I were in your shoes. I would get a regular prenatal vitamin. They are not expensive and can be found at your local pharmacy.

[Clysta]

I doubt it. Many women drink, smoke and do drugs and their babies are fine. Good luck with your pregnancy!

[Nini2686]

o crap....thanks ladies for writing back. Clysta I'm probably over-reacting but do you think I caused harm? I will stop taking them and buy prenatal.

[Clysta]

I just checked their website, might have been their UK site, and it said their products are not suitable to take while pregnant or breast-feeding.

[Rhi315]

I think it has to do with what vitamins are in the Centrum, they probably don't have the rec. amount of folic acid or iron in them. I didn't take any prenatal vitamins until I was further along b/c they made me sick. I do not recommend that. I would look up online what the rec. amount of which vitamins is online, and compare them to your vitamins. Keep in mind also, that a lot of women don't find out they're pregnant until further along too. You should be fine.