What?s the difference between OTC prenatals and prescription?

starlettedir

Beisdes the price? ;-)

 

Any recs?

kellynkyle

My doctor let me stay on the Target OTC (up & up brand) with a DHA lipil supplement--she said it was more cost efficient and worked just the same as the prescription.

LaciLeigh

I also take Target brand prenatals (up & up) and add the Up & Up DHA supplement. Neither have given me an upset stomach and they both are pretty cost efficient! My dr ok'd them as well.

 

The up & up brand DHA supplement is algae based instead of fish based so it doesn't leave an after taste or have the mercury risk. 

ginanddavid

i took women's one a day prenatal - it comes in a pink box with the dha thing too... two pills... never had morning sickness or anything like that- but i always took it at night RIGHT BEFORE i went to bed... i took it two times when I forgot it the night before in the morning and threw up... don't know if it's related or not.

monkaloo

I always did OTC because I never needed any of the extra things some of the rx ones offered (extra iron for anemia, a stool softener to counteract constipation, etc).  

melrrr

The only real consistent difference is more folic acid. Rx will have 1000mg whereas OTC have around 600. 400 is the RDA.

I took target PNVs plus  mercury-free/lead-free fish oil gelcaps. 

SigmundsGirl

I take the CVS brand + an extra folic acid + DHA.

april16

I took some that was prescription that were free from HEB. They have a list of free ones which was even better:)

alliwalton

I am taking HEB Woman's Daily (which I had been taking a few years before pregnancy), HEB Folic Acid and HEB Fish Oil.  I have never had an upset stomach nor does the Fish Oil leave a nasty taste. 

kreeper611

kellynkyle:

My doctor let me stay on the Target OTC (up & up brand) with a DHA lipil supplement--she said it was more cost efficient and worked just the same as the prescription.

Ditto.

KNJepp

When I switched from my OB to the midwives I used, they told me they actually preferred OTC prenatals to prescription ones.  They really liked the Twin Labs prenatals, so that's what I've been taking.  It's 2 pills/day.  I take them at bedtime, and as long as I've had a reasonable snack, I have no trouble with stomach upset.

horn_jm@hotmail.com

My dr recommends the prescription ones and says the folic acid is more easily absorbed from them... but I know many obs are fine with otc.

nvp05

I had a lot of stomach issues with OTC but none with prescription. I wish I could take OTC since my prescription ones are $40 a month!

Pamela05

jeneric04:

My dr recommends the prescription ones and says the folic acid is more easily absorbed from them... but I know many obs are fine with otc.

This is the case with mine.  I'm on a trial of PreNate Elite and it has part of its folate in the form normally found in OTC pills and part in a form that is closer to what the body actually needs to be useful (folic acid has to be metabolized into this second form to be used).  Some women are unable to metabolize folic acid into its base form so it's necessary for them.