Prenatals: The Glorified Vitamin

Prenatals, the required supplement for all pregnant women. Apparently when you're pregnant, both your body and baby need more of some vitamins and less of others. If I may, a glorious and grand "Thank You" to the pharmactiucal companies, for taking the time and money to figure this all out. Let us also, not neglect to give them a big round of applause and a couple high fives for the accompanying price tag that goes with it.

One of the first visits to my doctors office involved a somewhat lengthy discussion about the importance of prenatals and how they must be taken every evening. I was told to watch out for too much vitamin A, what foods to stay away from and which I should eat more of. Sure, it all made perfect sense to me. I asked my doctor, "Which prenatal should I buy"?, "We will prescribe one for you". Was her answer, oh, ok I always thought you bought them at the grocery store, I was not aware that one could get a prescription for a vitamin supplement. So, they sent me home with a few samples of various prenatals that would last me about 3 weeks until I had to go to back for my next appointment.

As I left the office, I eyed the different samples that were given to me, the cute packaging, feminine colors and carefully chosen graphics that "spoke" to a pregnant woman. None of these vitamins came in the regular vitamin bottle with a sticker around it, oh, no, apparently when you became pregnant, your vitamins really stepped it up a notch. The packaging I was holding reminded me of fancy soaps or make up with coined phrases like "its gentle nature is its strength". Sounds like some kind of fancy, ecologically sound shampoo, right?

So as the weeks go by, I take them and return to the office for my next appointment where I was given a few more freebies, just because, I suppose, and was written a prescription for one of the prenatals that I had "sampled". My doctor said "When these samples run out, go ahead and get this filled. This is the prenatal I generally prescribe to all my patients. They seem to really like it". Ok, sounds good. Will do. The prescription that was written for me also came with a coupon for $100 off over the course of a year. Odd. A coupon for a prescription, I never got one of these when I had to take Tylenol 3 or Vicodin. Never did my Cipro or Amoxacillin have a "buy one get one free" incentive. I shrugged it off, stuffed the fancy, cute packages and coupon into my purse and left the office.

When it was time to visit the pharmacy, I dropped off my said prescription along with my pink, feminine scripted, Victorian styled coupon and did some grocery shopping. I would like to take this moment to interject and let you all know I have health insurance, good health insurance. In the past, whatever prescribed medications I had to purchase never cost me more than $20 for a month's worth. In fact, one time I was hit by a car while in a cross walk and was in a lot of physical pain. Duh. I was given a bottle of 60 muscle relaxers, 60 Vicoden and 60 Naproxen, for $60, just take a moment to think about the street value on that. When I walked out of Vons that day I felt like "New Jack City", but I digress. Back to the original story. I approached the pharmacy counter to pick up my vitamins, and the lady behind the counter said "$49.99". $49.99 ARE OUT OUT OF YOUR MIND!?!?!??! I choked a little. "Um", I replied, "Did you include the coupon I gave you?". "Oh, I forgot, one moment please". Well ok, now we're talking!! That brought it down to $39.99. Forty bucks WITH insurance coverage AND a discount!?!?! I knew I had no choice but to buy the prenatals, but I was pissed. I took the bag and went home, fuming that I had to spend so much on a few fancy vitamins. What the hell was in these to justify the cost? Kryptonite? Gold? Diamond dust?

Upon returning home, I took the tampon looking floral printed box out of the bag and saw the retail cost of one month's worth of these vitamins was $79.99. What?! Now I didn't feel so bad paying $40, but still, come on. I curse you, white jacketed pharmaceutical jerks. I really wanted to get down to the "nitty grits" of why these cost so damn much. The prenatals at the grocery store are around $20, not great but reasonable being that I don't need a coupon or be responsible for insurance payments to get them. So, I looked online and this is what I found.

Q: What's the difference between over-the-counter prenatal vitamins and prescription prenatal vitamins? Is the difference important?

A: Folic acid. Regarding folic acid, over-the-counter vitamins have this 400 micrograms dose, but prescription vitamins have a full 1000 micrograms (1 milligram). So the advantage to the prescription vitamins is more than enough folate. These also have more iron, as well as formula mixes of other vitamins that have been tested extensively by large corporations who have spent a whole lot of money to ensure a good, safe product. Because the dosages are larger, and therefore prescription, they also have to deal with extra FDA scrutiny, which of course is to your and your baby's benefit. If you can't tolerate ANY vitamins, remember that we got by for millions of years worth of pregnancies without them. But let's not go back to those days, vitamins-wise, unless there's no other choice. The point is that vitamins are not a deal-breaker, but they're a terrific idea.

Hmmmmmm......I wonder what the street value of 1 milligram of Folic acid is.