FAQ

Hopefully one of the following will help you—you can try to:

• Take your tablet with food.
• Include your tablet in your bedtime routine.
• Break it in half and consider taking at two different times in the same day (Make sure to have clean, dry hands and keep the remaining half of the pill out of reach of children).
• Crush it and mix the powder into a drink.

Note: To help make things even easier on you, you can pick up a pill splitter or pill crusher at your local pharmacy. If you only need to cut your tablet, just make sure you do so along the bisecting line in the middle. Do your best to cut the tablet evenly, as sharp edges may be difficult to swallow.

Materna contains animal derivatives. Please reach out to Nestlé Canada Consumer Care if you feel you require further clarification.

A woman should start taking a prenatal multivitamin containing folic acid at least 10 - 12 weeks prior to conception - when she is trying to conceive or planning a pregnancy.

Experts recommend for a woman to continue taking a daily multivitamin containing 0.4 - 1.0 mg folic acid for 4 - 6 weeks postpartum or for as long as breastfeeding continues¹.

¹ Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. J Obstet Gyneacol Can. 2015; 37(6):534-549.

You can take a prenatal multivitamin at any time of day. But it’s ideal to take your multivitamin together with a meal because it not only helps the tablet to disintegrate, it also makes it easier for your body to absorb the vitamin’s nutrients. Taking a prenatal multivitamin at mealtime helps minimize the potential for stomach upset, as well (especially if you are sensitive to iron). You’ll also find it easier to incorporate your prenatal multivitamin into your daily routine if you take it at the same time every day.

Folic acid is a B vitamin essential for the healthy development of the fetus, brain, and skull during the early weeks of pregnancy.

Folate and folic acid are B vitamins. Sometimes the terms are used interchangeably but there is the difference. Folate is the form which is naturally found in foods, and folic acid is the synthetic version used to fortify foods and is what’s used in prenatal multivitamins. Folic acid is a more active form of this essential nutrient, compared to its natural counterpart, folate.

Spina bifida and other neural tube defects (NTDs) occur between the third and fourth week of fetal development, a time when most women don't even know that they are pregnant. Because up to 50% of all pregnancies are unplanned, all women of childbearing age should take a multivitamin containing folic acid every day in order to help prevent NTDs. Be sure to take a multivitamin that also contains vitamin B12. Folic acid helps reduce the risk of birth defects by more than 70% if taken before pregnancy.

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of folic acid during pregnancy is 0.6 mg. However, most prenatal multivitamins/mineral supplements will provide up to 1 mg of folic acid.

However, most prenatal multivitamins/mineral supplements will provide up to 1 mg of folic acid¹.

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada recommends that women, with no personal health risks for neural tube defects, take a multivitamin with 0.4 mg to 1.0 mg of folic acid throughout pregnancy².

¹ Health Canada. Prenatal Nutrition Guidelines for Health Professionals. 2009.https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/reports-publications/nutrition-healthy-eating/prenatal-nutrition-guidelines-health-professionals-background-canada-food-guide-2009.html  Page visited: August 28, 2017.
² Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada. J Obstet Gyneacol Can. 2015; 37(6):534-549.

Folate (folic acid) can be found naturally in foods such as green leafy vegetables, red kidney beans, chicken liver and corn. However, most women find it difficult to get the recommended level of folate from food alone. For example, you would have to consume 2 cups of spinach each day to get enough folate to meet the daily requirements. Taking a prenatal multivitamin such as NESTLÉ MATERNA, which provides 0.6 mg of folic acid, helps provides assurance that you are getting the daily requirement. 

Neural tube defects are birth defects that affect the brain (anencephaly) and/or spinal cord (spina bifida). NTDs occur when the tissues that form the brain and spinal cord fail to develop properly. These defects occur in the first 4 weeks of fetal development - usually before a woman even knows she's pregnant.

Don't throw out your expired or unused natural health products. For more information on how to safely dispose of these products, please visit www.healthsteward.ca.

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