Citracal Prenatal + DHA Uses (Cont.)

How Does Citracal Prenatal + DHA Work?

Citracal Prenatal + DHA contains vitamins, minerals, and DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid. These nutrients are important for a healthy pregnancy, and many pregnant women may not get enough of these nutrients, for various reasons. Most importantly, these products contain folic acid, which is an important nutrient that helps to prevent certain birth defects, such as spina bifida. Citracal Prenatal + DHA products also contain iron, calcium, and various other vitamins and minerals.
 
Unlike older prenatal vitamins, Citracal Prenatal + DHA and Citracal Prenatal 90 + DHA both contain the omega-3 fatty acid DHA. DHA provides a wide variety of health benefits. There is some evidence that it may decrease the risk of preterm birth (having a baby prematurely), improve brain function, and improve vision. Fish are the main source of DHA, and the typical American diet is usually deficient in DHA. Additionally, because many pregnant women are instructed to limit their intake of certain fish (due to the potential risks of mercury toxicity), it is likely that many pregnant women are not getting enough DHA.
 
These prenatal vitamins also contain docusate sodium, a stool softener that can help prevent or relieve constipation.
 

Citracal Prenatal + DHA Use in Children, Men, or the Elderly

Citracal Prenatal + DHA is usually not recommended for use in children, men, or the elderly. Sometimes, prenatal vitamins are prescribed in place of regular vitamins in order to get them covered by insurance or Medicaid (although many insurance companies and Medicaid programs have caught on to this practice and now restrict coverage of prenatal vitamins only to pregnant women). Many prenatal vitamins contain iron in doses that are too high for children.
 

Off-Label Citracal Prenatal + DHA Uses

On occasion, your healthcare provider may recommend Citracal Prenatal + DHA for something other than the conditions discussed in this article. People often wonder if taking prenatal vitamins may be helpful for hair growth. Although pregnant women often experience fuller, thicker hair that grows faster, this is likely due to hormones, not to their prenatal vitamins. It is unlikely that prenatal vitamins will help with hair growth (or that they would be any better than a regular multivitamin for this use).
 
 

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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;