Do Prenatal Vitamins Make You Gain Weight? Understanding the Effects

When trying to get pregnant, many women wonder if they’re going to gain weight during pregnancy, and that after childbirth can become difficult to lose. Some think that the main reason for gaining too much weight is prenatal vitamins, but that’s not completely true. Prenatal vitamins play an important role in pregnancy as they are essential for the mother’s health and the baby’s development, however, they don’t directly affect women’s weight. 

Do prenatal vitamins make you gain weight?! In this article, let’s explain prenatal vitamins' role during pregnancy and the common reasons for gaining weight.

Do Prenatal Vitamins Cause Weight Gain? 

Will prenatal vitamins make you gain weight? The common misconception which states that prenatal vitamins cause weight gain often makes pregnant women not take those vitamins. However, the fact itself isn’t scientifically true.

Prenatal vitamins don’t directly affect any weight gain, but there are some factors that indirectly may cause some weight gain during pregnancy, those are increased nutrient absorption, which can enhance calorie intake from consumed food, and water retention, which is caused by high levels of certain minerals included in vitamins, that can increase some weight. But weights gained from these are temporary and typically resolve soon after birth. 

Weight Gain During Pregnancy:

Weight gain during pregnancy is normal, often varies greatly, and is dependent on the individual. In pregnancy, the body always changes to get ready, nurture, and feed the unborn child. Most pregnant women mostly gain from 10 to 12.5 kg, which mostly happens after 20 weeks. Much of these weights are caused by the natural process of pregnancy due to your baby growing and your body getting ready to make breast milk after your baby is born. 

This kind of increased weight is often misunderstood and mothers think it is because the supplements vitamins include. For example, as we mentioned, a high quality protein supplement does promote weight gain as it provides your body with the building blocks it needs for development, but it’s not something to worry about as it is totally normal and temporary. 

Nutrients and Metabolism:

Prenatal vitamins are important supplements for women during pregnancy. For example, iron and folic acid are essential for supporting metabolism, but it doesn’t mean they cause weight gain. Iron produces hemoglobin in your body, which then carries oxygen in your blood causing increased energy levels. Therefore, folic acid helps healthy cells to grow and produce DNA, which keeps your body running smoothly. 

Does prenatal vitamins make you gain weight? As it’s already a clear fact that these nutrients are very important for your pregnancy, they aren’t the ones responsible for increasing weight. So the answer to the question: do prenatal vitamins make you gain weight, is mostly no.

Key Nutrients in Prenatal Vitamins and Their Effects 

Iron and Digestive Issues:

For pregnant women, iron is an essential supply for avoiding anemia because it is responsible for producing more red blood cells in your body. However, sometimes iron can cause constipation, which leads to feeling bloated or heavier. It happens because iron slows down digestion and makes it harder to move waste through your body. But there are some ways for you to help and ease constipation, you can always drink more water daily and eat food that is rich in fiber to feel better. 

Folic Acid and Cell Growth:

During pregnancy one of the earliest structures to form is the neural tube. 1 month after conception it forms into a tube to become the brain and spinal cord. Without consuming enough folic acid, the cells in this structure can’t grow properly and the tube doesn’t close. Folate is also vital to form normal red blood cells and certain amino acids. The advantage of this vitamin is that while working on nutrients, it doesn’t necessarily make a woman's body gain weight. 

Common Reasons for Weight Gain During Pregnancy 

Hormonal Changes:

It’s perfectly clear and visible to everyone that when a woman is pregnant, she and her body go through some specific changes, including hormonal ones, as it’s vitally essential for the baby's healthy development. This kind of hormonal change then typically leads to gaining some extra weight.

Hormones called estrogen and progesterone increase during pregnancy and cause the body to store more fat to help the baby grow and prepare the body for breastfeeding. Therefore, these hormones also lead to raised fluid retention which makes women’s bodies healthily gain weight.

Let’s answer the common question again, do prenatal vitamins make you gain weight?! If you’re trying to get pregnant, don’t be afraid, as this weight increase is a natural and necessary process of pregnancy and isn’t related to prenatal vitamins. Prenatal vitamins are just an essential part of the pregnancy to support you and your baby. 

Increased Caloric Intake:

For many women, one of the best parts of the pregnancy is individual cravings. No matter day or night you may wanna eat the food you’ve never tried before and can’t stop thinking about it. It’s because during pregnancy women have increased appetite and it’s perfectly normal, as they need to consume enough food for almost two people. Having an increased appetite and eating more food than before, often naturally leads to consuming more calories than usual and it eventually causes the body to gain weight. 

Water Retention and Bloating:

Can prenatal vitamins make me gain weight? Or Why am I swelling during pregnancy? These are the questions that often arise while pregnant and often falsely are connected to prenatal vitamins, which clearly isn’t reality. The swelling of a woman's body during pregnancy is caused by extra retention of fluids which is needed to soften the body and enable it to expand as the baby grows.

Exactly this water retention makes women feel bloated and heavier. It accounts for approximately 25% of the weight women gain during pregnancy. So don’t consider prenatal vitamins as the cause of feeling bloated and take them as necessary. 

Benefits of Taking Prenatal Vitamins 

Supporting Fetal Development:

Consuming enough vitamins is important for everyone at any stage of life, but while pregnant, it becomes essential to take some of the vitamins. That’s mostly because prenatal vitamins support the healthy growth and development of your baby, as well as help your body to stay healthy and strong. Prenatal vitamins are also responsible for your baby’s neural tube development. So don’t hesitate to take enough prenatal vitamins as your doctor will prescribe them for you. 

Preventing Nutritional Deficiencies:

Prenatal vitamins have different effects on women’s bodies during pregnancy as well as on the development of babies. They provide essential nutrients that support brain and spinal cord development, such as folic acid. They also include iron which helps to avoid anemia and increases oxygen flow for the baby. Prenatal vitamins are also calcium which is responsible for the baby's bone and teeth strengthening.

How to Manage Healthy Weight Gain During Pregnancy 

Balanced Diet:

Do prenatal vitamins make you gain weight?! Much of the weight women gain during pregnancy is not fat, in fact, it’s related to the baby and its development phases. Some women gain weight quickly when pregnant but that doesn’t mean they should go on a strict diet or try to lose weight during pregnancy. 

When you’re pregnant and trying to control your weight, it’s always better to stay active, eat healthy food, and be on a balanced diet rather than sit on a strict diet which can affect a baby's development. 

Here you can see some healthy eating tips to start with:

• When you’re craving some snacks, you can use fresh fruits and vegetables to balance them as they are low in calories and have many vitamins needed for you. 
• Choose reduced-fat dairy products for your balanced diet. You need at least 4 milk products during a day. Also, always choose low-fat and fat-free cheese or yogurt as your milk product.
• Avoid sweetened drinks that are high in calories. Also avoid that kind of junk food and snacks.

Monitoring Weight Gain:

Managing healthy weight gain is an important part of pregnancy for every woman. But don’t try to create any type of diet yourself or include some exercise in your daily routine. Always consult with your doctor before taking any new steps in your pregnancy journey, as it’s one of the most crucial stages of your life. Add regular check-ins to your doctor in your calendar and monitor your healthy weight gain constantly. If you still wonder - do prenatal vitamins make you gain weight, your doctor will answer it too. 

FAQs about Prenatal Vitamins and Weight Gain

Can prenatal vitamins cause bloating or digestive issues?

Some prenatal vitamins can cause bloating or digestive issues. The iron supplement in many prenatal vitamins can cause constipation and bloating, which can make a pregnant woman feel heavier during pregnancy. But these effects are usually temporary and may disappear as your body starts to adjust to the medication. To manage side effects like these, add more fiber, and natural prebiotics/probiotics and ask your doctor to take other supplements to ease any discomfort. 

Should I stop taking prenatal vitamins if I feel like I’m gaining too much weight?

Prenatal vitamins weight gain don’t usually exist. If you feel like you’re gaining too much weight during pregnancy, don’t stop taking prenatal vitamins, as the reason behind it is something else. There’s no approved evidence that prenatal vitamins make you gain weight during pregnancy. Since vitamins contain zero calories, the weight gain is likely just due to the pregnancy itself. Prenatal vitamins are a very important part of your baby’s health so don’t stop taking them without a doctor's recommendation. 

How can I tell if my weight gain is due to pregnancy or prenatal vitamins?

To gain weight during pregnancy is a very natural part of a 9-month journey. When you’re pregnant it’s completely normal to gain weight from 10 to 12,5 kgs, as your baby is growing, and your body is getting ready to produce breast milk. A little swelling is totally normal due to fluid retention too, but sudden or excessive swelling can indicate some specific condition so in that case consult with a doctor right away. 

Can prenatal vitamins make you gain weight if you are not pregnant?

Prenatal vitamins don't make you gain weight whether you’re pregnant or not. There’s a common disbelief that food supplements, especially prenatal vitamins can make women gain weight, but it isn't true. Prenatal vitamins themself don’t directly cause any weight gain, but some nutrients in them can contribute to some extra pounds, however, this kind of increased weight is temporary. 

Can prenatal vitamins make it hard to lose weight?

Prenatal vitamins don't make it harder to lose weight. But taking prenatal vitamins can impact weight a little as they affect different processes in the body including metabolism. Also, there are some factors that indirectly lead to weight gain when pregnant, such as water retention. But it’s mostly temporary and won’t affect your weight loss goal. 

What happens to your body when you take prenatal vitamins?

Do prenatal vitamins cause you to gain weight? - After reading through, do you still have the same question?! Prenatal vitamins are supplements needed for the body when pregnant. It supports healthy pregnancy and baby development, as well as keeping the mother’s health on point with its minerals and vitamins. Some prenatal vitamins can cause nausea or constipation, and bloating or gas. But it’s temporary and you don’t have to worry much about that. 

Do Prenatals change your hormones?

Many of the vitamins found in prenatal vitamins can have an impact on some hormones, and these effects are mostly positive. For example, Vitamin D is very important for hormonal balance in your body and in hormone communication as well. 

In short, gaining weight is a natural part of pregnancy and you don’t have to be worried about it, as you can balance your weight in different ways. Prenatal vitamins don’t necessarily affect your body weight, so take them as your doctor prescribes for you.