question regarding supplements

vtgrrl · #1 (**permalink**) 02-15-2006, 04:29 AM

I was just wondering what kind of supplements, baby aspirin, etc. you women are taking in hopes of increasing the chance of conception....I don't know much about this topic, especially the baby aspirin, and was wondering if I should be starting to take some of them. Also, what's everyone's view of caffeine? I heard it isn't the best when you are trying to conceive. I'm trying to cut back, but I love my coffee! Thanks for responding.

mommajac · #2 (**permalink**) 02-15-2006, 10:39 AM

I take prenatal vites and extra folic acid. I took ASA with my last PGncy, but I've developed extended spotting, so I decided to stop it. I also do green tea supplement (when I remember), evening primrose oil, vit C and Co Q 10. I drink grapefruit juice before O and pineapple juice after. Who knows if it all elps, but don't think it can hurt. But I'm crazy anyway.

mommajac · #3 (**permalink**) 02-15-2006, 10:46 AM

Oh, and I try to do no more than 2 cups of caffeine per day. I do decaf if I can. BTW, 8 oz of chocolate has about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. I often opt for the chocolate.

deeceetoo · #4 (**permalink**) 02-15-2006, 04:47 PM

Currently my flavors of the month are a multi, extra folic acid, DHEA, COQ10, EPO, Acetyl L Carnitine and something-else-I-can't-remember, and baby aspirin.

I was worried about caffeine to until the latest research seems to indicate it's the COFFEE and probably not the caffeine that's dangerous. Apparently, folks who drink black tea and chocolate and colas don't have the same issues as people who drink coffee. And Jacqueline, the reason they feel comfortable with that is because decaf has been linked to losses.

Here's one of the latest articles:

Coffee linked to doubled fetal death rates
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology 2005; 162: 983-90

Investigating whether coffee consumption during pregnancy is associated with late fetal death.

Women who drink eight or more cups of coffee a day are twice as likely as women who do not drink coffee to miscarry or have a stillbirth, a survey suggests.

While adjusting for other risk factors attenuated the association, the researchers think the results justify advice for pregnant women to drink no more than three cups of coffee a day.

Coffee drinking has been repeatedly associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, and plausible mechanisms have been proposed to explain the link; yet some people still question its risks, explained lead author Bodil Hammer Bech from the University of Aarhus in Denmark.

To investigate, Bech and colleagues surveyed 88,482 pregnant women enrolled in the Danish National Birth Cohort about their coffee intake and potential confounding factors, at 16 weeks' gestation.

After adjustment for confounders, the researchers found that the risk of fetal death was increased by 3 percent for women who drank one-half to three cups of coffee daily, compared with abstainers, by 33 percent for those who drank four to seven cups a day, and by 59 percent for women who drank eight or more cups daily.

No link was found between fetal death and tea or cola intake, however, indicating that some compound in coffee other than caffeine may underlie the observed effect.

Posted: 17 November 2005

Don't get me wrong!! I'm not advocating caffeine. I definitely think that anything that isn't necessary should not be part of our diets, esp. given our situations. But don't beat yourself up for having one or two cups either!

meadowgirl · #5 (**permalink**) 02-15-2006, 05:35 PM

Let's see. What am I taking right now???

Ester C -- 1000mg
E and Selenium -- 400mg
Evening Primrose Oil -- One capsule
Cal/Mag/Zinc/Vit D -- 500 mg
Prenatal Vitamin
Fish Oil -- One capsule
Multi B supplement -- One capsule
Chlorophyll -- 2 capsules

I'm a tea drinker, so don't have to worry about that coffee problem. I drink all varieties just about every day -- black, green and herbal. Usually one cup of black in the AM and then green and herbal througout the day.

vtgrrl · #6 (**permalink**) 02-15-2006, 05:36 PM

thanks for the info.....but why baby aspirin? Is it supposed to encourage conception? and that was enlightening on the caffeine....my husband and I are gonna give this month a "go" and I am cutting most caffeine out....but what am I gonna do with all of my Valentine candy?

Its worth it to cut back, the end result will make it so worth it. I'm not "charting" yet, I conceived relatively easy this last time around, with just 2-3 months sans birth control....but I am nervous about having another m/c.....

staci · #7 (**permalink**) 02-15-2006, 06:32 PM

I take baby aspirin-1 a day. Supposedly there are studies that it may help women who have had multiple losses. It is a blood thinner which helps with all the blood flow to the womb. I also take prenatal vitamins. I haven't tried the herbal route because of taking femara. I have wanted to try vitex but there are interferences with the fertility drug I take.
I drink coffee as well but I try to cut back with decaf. when I'm in the 2ww. I didn't know that it is the coffee and not necsessarily the cafeine??? Hmmmm. I might have to rethink things.

deeceetoo · #8 (**permalink**) 02-16-2006, 08:10 AM

Staci, the coffee may not be an issue at all. I'm just paranoid. I know you know I am!! And that's right on about the BA. It's funny. So many doctors say "It does nothing!" but I don't know any REs that don't tell you to take it.