28/08/2026
🤰💊 UNDERSTANDING “ROUTINE DRUGS” GIVEN DURING PREGNANCY
A question I often hear is: Why are pregnant women given folic acid, ferrous sulfate, vitamin C, B-complex and multivitamins? And why do we call them routine drugs?
Read to the End👇🏼
Let’s learn 👇
🩸 1. FERROUS SULFATE
Ferrous sulfate is an iron supplement.
During pregnancy, the body’s demand for iron increases because the mother produces more blood and the baby also needs iron for development.
👉 WHO routine preventive recommendation: 30–60 mg of elemental iron once daily throughout pregnancy.
⚠️ Remember: 300 mg ferrous sulfate is NOT the same as 300 mg elemental iron. Always check the elemental iron content of the product.
Common side effects include constipation, nausea, abdominal discomfort and dark stools.
🧠 2. FOLIC ACID
Folic acid is vitamin B9.
It is very important in early pregnancy because adequate folate helps prevent neural tube defects in the developing baby.
👉 A common preventive dose is 400 micrograms (0.4 mg) once daily, ideally starting before pregnancy and continuing through the first 12 weeks.
⚠️ Some women require higher doses, such as 5 mg daily, because of specific risk factors. That should be prescribed by a qualified healthcare professional.
🍊 3. VITAMIN C
Vitamin C supports normal immune function, collagen formation and iron absorption.
Some antenatal clinics prescribe it alongside iron.
However, vitamin C is not universally recommended by WHO as a routine supplement for every pregnant woman.
So don’t assume that every pregnant woman automatically needs a separate vitamin C tablet.
💊 4. B-COMPLEX
B-complex contains different B vitamins, depending on the product.
These vitamins are involved in energy metabolism, nervous-system function and blood-cell formation.
But there is no single standard WHO dose for every B-complex tablet because different brands contain different amounts and combinations of B vitamins.
👉 Always check the product formulation and p
