My prenatal multivitamin supplement contains 27 mg of iron. Can I continue taking it if the amount is higher than the recommendation?
Yes, you can continue taking the multivitamin supplement. An over-the-counter prenatal supplement that provides 27 mg of elemental iron does not pose any significant health risks. However, iron intakes from multivitamin supplements at or above 27 mg (the Recommended Dietary Allowance for iron) are not needed by healthy, iron-replete women whose diets include heme iron, non-heme iron, and vitamin C rich-foods. The main practical concern is that a woman may stop taking prenatal multivitamin supplements because of gastrointestinal discomfort (such as constipation) that is sometimes associated with supplements that provide higher amounts of iron.
