Some common side effects of prenatal vitamins include nausea, constipation, and headaches. Women who take these vitamins also frequently report having a bad taste in their mouths just after swallowing one. There are also some women who have allergic reactions to prenatal vitamins that may manifest in the form of itching, hives, and swelling. Even though getting side effects from prenatal vitamins are fairly common, there are many women who report having no side effects at all. In many cases, the side effects can be alleviated by taking certain precautions, or they may stop altogether as the body gets used to the vitamins.
The reason that many women experience nausea and constipation when taking prenatal vitamins is likely because of the high iron content. Iron is very important for both pregnant women and for the growth and development of unborn fetuses. Even though it is beneficial, iron often comes with the unpleasant side effects of nausea and constipation. It may be possible to prevent the nausea by always taking prenatal vitamins with a meal. The constipation can typically be avoided if a woman drinks a lot of water and gets in enough fiber throughout each day.
Even though it doesn't happen to everyone, some women experience side effects of prenatal vitamins that include headaches and a sour taste in their mouths. Pain relievers are usually enough to combat the headaches, but a pregnant woman should be sure to opt for non-aspirin medications, such as acetaminophen, rather than any that contain aspirin or ibuprofen while she is pregnant. The bad taste in the mouth that prenatal vitamins occasionally cause may be the result of fish oil, which is often included in many popular prenatal vitamin brands. This taste usually goes away quickly, and drinking lots of water may additionally help to get rid of it.
Allergic reactions to prenatal vitamins are usually rare, but they do occasionally occur. The first signs may present themselves as itching, inflamed skin, or possibly facial swelling. These symptoms should be promptly reported to a doctor, who will most likely take a woman off her prenatal vitamins and prescribe a different brand for her to try. It may be hard to determine exactly what ingredient in a woman's prenatal vitamins caused her allergic reaction, but doctors can do allergy tests to try and figure it out. Most side effects of prenatal vitamins are not serious, but allergic reactions can be depending on the severity of a woman's allergies.