One Daily Prenatal (prenatal vit with calcium 75/iron/folic acid/omega-3/dha/epa)

Dosage of folic acid injection (sodium folate) is expressed in terms of folic acid. In general, although patient response to folic acid therapy depends on the degree and nature of the deficiency, once proper corrective measures are undertaken, folate-deficient patients generally respond rapidly. During the first 24 hours of treatment, the patient experiences an improved sense of well-being, and within 48 hours, the bone marrow begins to become normoblastic. Reticulocytosis generally begins within 2-5 days following initiation of folic acid therapy.

Dosage of the oral calcium supplements is usually expressed in grams or mg of elemental calcium and depends on the requirements of the individual patient. Dosage of parenteral calcium replacements is usually expressed as mEq of calcium and depends on individual patient requirements. One mEq of elemental calcium is equivalent to 20 mg. See Table 1 for the approximate calcium content of the various calcium salts.

Table 1.

Calcium Salt Calcium Content calcium acetate 253 mg (12.7 mEq) per g calcium carbonate 400 mg (20 mEq) per g calcium chloride 270 mg (13.5 mEq) per g calcium citrate 211 mg (10.6 mEq) per g calcium gluceptate 82 mg (4.1 mEq) per g calcium gluconate 90 mg (4.5 mEq) per g calcium glycerophosphate 191 mg (9.6 mEq) per g calcium lactate 130 mg (6.5 mEq) per g calcium phosphate dibasic anhydrous 290 mg (14.5 mEq) per g calcium phosphate dibasic dihydrate 230 mg (11.5 mEq) per g calcium phosphate tribasic 400 mg (20 mEq) per g

Oral calcium supplements usually are administered in 3 or 4 divided doses daily. Optimum calcium absorption may require supplemental vitamin D in individuals with inadequate vitamin D intake, those with impaired renal activation of the vitamin, or those not receiving adequate exposure to sunlight.

Dosage of oral iron preparations should be expressed in terms of elemental iron. The elemental iron content of the various preparations is approximately:

Drug Elemental Iron ferric pyrophosphate 120 mg/g ferrous gluconate 120 mg/g ferrous sulfate 200 mg/g ferrous sulfate, dried 300 mg/g ferrous fumarate 330 mg/g ferrous carbonate, anhydrous 480 mg/g carbonyl iron 1000 mg/g

carbonyl iron is elemental iron, not an iron salt.

Folic acid is usually administered orally. When oral administration is not feasible or when malabsorption is suspected, the drug may be administered by deep IM, subcutaneous, or IV injection. However, most patients with malabsorption are able to absorb oral folic acid.

The acetate, carbonate, citrate, gluconate, lactate, and phosphate salts of calcium are administered orally. It has been recommended that most oral calcium supplements be administered 1-1.5 hours after meals or with a demulcent (e.g., milk). However, calcium carbonate powder (i.e., CAL CARB-HD(R)) should generally be administered with meals, since the manufacturer recommends mixing the powder with food for administration. Calcium salts used to bind dietary phosphate in patients with end-stage renal disease should be administered with meals (e.g., 10-15 minutes before, or during, the meal).

Calcium chloride and calcium gluconate may be administered IV. Calcium chloride also may be administered by intraosseous (IO) injection+ in the setting of pediatric resuscitation; onset of action and systemic concentrations are comparable to those achieved with venous administration. Parenteral calcium salts may be administered in large volume IV infusion fluids.

IV calcium injections must be administered slowly at a rate not exceeding 0.7-1.8 mEq/minute, and the injection should be stopped if the patient complains of discomfort. Following IV injection, the patient should remain recumbent for a short time. Close monitoring of serum calcium concentrations is essential during IV administration of calcium. Calcium chloride should not be injected IM or into subcutaneous or perivascular tissue, since severe necrosis and sloughing may occur. Although other calcium salts may cause mild to severe local reactions, they are generally less irritating than calcium chloride. (See Cautions.) The fixed combination of calcium glycerophosphate and calcium lactate is injected IM. Although some manufacturers previously stated that calcium gluconate could be injected IM when IV administration was not possible, manufacturers of calcium gluconate currently state that the drug should not be injected IM or into subcutaneous tissue because of the potential for severe local reactions. In children, calcium salts should not be administered through scalp veins. Oral administration of calcium supplements or calcium-rich foods should replace parenteral calcium therapy as soon as possible.

The interaction of calcium and phosphate in parenteral nutrition solutions is a complex phenomenon; various factors have been identified as playing a role in the solubility or precipitation of a given combination. Calcium salts are conditionally compatible with phosphate in parenteral nutrition solutions; incompatibility is dependent on a solubility and concentration phenomenon and is not entirely predictable. Precipitation may occur during compounding or at some time after compounding is completed. Specialized references should be consulted for specific compatibility information.

Oral iron preparations generally should be taken between meals (e.g., 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal) for maximum absorption but may be taken with or after meals, if necessary, to minimize adverse GI effects. Patients who have difficulty tolerating oral iron supplements also may benefit from smaller, more frequent doses, starting with a lower dose and increasing slowly to the target dose, trying a different form or preparation, or taking the supplement at bedtime.

No dosing information is available for this tab.

No dosing information is available for this tab.

In folate-deficient patients, folic acid therapy may increase phenytoin metabolism, resulting in decreased phenytoin serum concentrations. Although this interaction is not usually clinically important, an increase in seizure frequency may occur in some patients.

It has been reported that concurrent administration of chloramphenicol and folic acid in folate-deficient patients may result in antagonism of the hematopoietic response to folic acid. Although the importance and mechanism of the interaction is unclear, the hematologic response to folic acid in patients receiving both drugs should be carefully monitored.

There are no contraindication interactions for this drug.

There are no severe interactions for this drug.

There are no moderate interactions for this drug.

There is no enhanced messaging for this drug.

There are no contraindication contraindications for this drug.

There are no severe contraindications for this drug.

There are no moderate contraindications for this drug.

There is no enhanced messaging for this drug.

There are no severe adverse reactions for this drug.

There are no less severe adverse reactions for this drug.

No enhanced messaging available.

No enhanced messaging available.

During the first and second trimester of pregnancy, iron-deficiency anemia is associated with a twofold increased risk of premature delivery and a threefold increased risk of a low-birthweight delivery. Although iron supplementation during pregnancy has been shown to decrease the incidence of anemia, evidence on the effect of routine iron supplementation during pregnancy on adverse maternal and infant outcomes is inconclusive. Blood volume expands by about 35% during pregnancy, and growth of the fetus, placenta, and other maternal tissues increases the iron requirement threefold during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy to about 5 mg of iron daily. Although menstruation ceases and iron absorption increases during pregnancy, most pregnant women who do not use iron supplements to meet increased iron requirements cannot maintain adequate iron stores, particularly during the last 2 trimesters. Following delivery, iron in the fetus and placenta are lost to the woman, although some of the iron in the expanded blood volume may return to blood stores. Among low-income pregnant women enrolled in health programs in the US, the prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia is 9, 14, and 37% during the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively. While similar data currently are not available for all pregnant women in the US, the low dietary iron intake among US women of childbearing age, the high prevalence of iron deficiency and associated anemia among such women, and the increased iron requirements during pregnancy suggest that anemia during pregnancy may extend beyond low-income women. In addition, use of prenatal multivitamin and mineral supplements among African-Americans, native American and Alaskan Indians, women younger than 20 years of age, and those having less than a high school education is substantially lower than in the general US pregnant population.

The principal reasons for the current lack of widespread adoption of a recommended iron supplementation regimen during pregnancy in US women may include lack of health-care provider and patient perceptions that iron supplements improve maternal and infant outcomes, complicated dose schedules, and adverse effects (e.g., constipation, nausea, vomiting). However, adequate dietary iron intake and iron supplementation generally are recommended for primary prevention of iron deficiency during pregnancy. By employing low-dose (i.e., 30 mg of iron daily) regimens with simplified dose schedules (i.e., once-daily dosing), patient compliance may be improved; low-dose regimens have been shown to increase patient tolerance and are as effective as higher dosages (e.g., 60-120 mg iron daily) in preventing iron-deficiency anemia.

No enhanced messaging available.

No enhanced messaging available.