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A  new campaign is pressuring the Federal government to make vitamin supplements available to all pregnant women.

“Twenty-five per cent of doctors have reported patients who are not filling the scripts they need to because of affordability,” McKell Institute’s Sam Crosby told 7 news.

Women from lower socioeconomic backgrounds often can’t fulfill dietary requirements, let alone buy the vitamins they need.

“When you’re trying to buy a cot, a pram, a crib, a car seat, everything else is a real impost,” Mr Crosby said.

The McKell Institute has launched a campaign arguing that vitamins should be free for pregnant women who hold concession cards.

Some vitamins, such as folic acid, can make a huge difference.

“It definitely reduces your risk of spina bifida,” obstetrician Rod Allen said.

“Vitamin D will make the woman’s bones stronger, we know that.”

The UK government already gives free vitamins to expecting women.

Babies born to mothers who are battling financially as 60 per cent more likely to be low or underweight at birth, which can also mean later in life they’ll have health problems.

“It would definitely be a bonus if you could have free supplements for all pregnant women,” Dr Allen said.

A confronting image showing the medication one Australian mum used to help ‘survive’ severe morning sickness during her twin pregnancy has prompted an online petition, calling for medications to be listed on the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Read more HERE.

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Read more: WHY pregnant women shouldn’t rush out and start taking vitamin B3

The vitamins necessary for a healthy pregnancy – you MUST try these!

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  • While I do think vitamins are great to help with lack of nutrients, I don’t think they should be given for free. I feel like they would become over used and abused.
    I had fantastic vitamin and nutrient levels through 2 pregnancies (through healthy eating and exercise) despite forgetting my pregnancy vitamin most of the time.
    A midwife even told me to change vitamins to get more iron despite my concerns about constipation. Even when my blood results showed I had fantastic levels, she insisted, just gave me constipation advice.

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  • Even babies are being more commonly given vitamin D along with mum than previously seen. I understand the cost living is rising exponentially, but these are all things that have to be factored in when considering having a child. Vitamin D isn’t that pricey to buy if you go to a reasonably priced pharmacy.

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  • This will be good and help some women. You will still get those test don’t care if can’t be bothered, those having babies to stay on the welfare charity wagon

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  • Vitamins aren’t that expensive. There are other things I would like to see for free, like psychological help for children.

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  • Yes to folic acid – although it is cheap to begin with, so it shouldn’t cost the government too much – might save them money in the long run if it reduces health problems down the track….


    • Exactly – preventative health and care is the best intervention.

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  • I’m not sure on this one. Where do we draw the line?

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  • Just folic acid. There have been studies done that suggest pregnancy multivitamins could actually do more harm than good so I think they should look into that further first.

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  • Yes… Folic acid at least. Not so sure about others.

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  • There are so many supportive schemes and if this scheme assists pregnant women to care for themselves and their unborn babies then I am for it. I would hope that vitamins would go hand in hand with good advice, education and support during pregnancy.

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  • Before taking certain vitamins, women should get a blood test. If they have a deficiency, the problems should definitely be addressed.

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  • No. If prospective mothers can’t afford to eat healthily during pregnancy, how are they going to be able to afford to bring up a baby? Besides, how effective are vitamin tablets? Which ones actually work? How do people (not only pregnant women) really accurately determine what vitamin supplements they actually need?

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