FIRST RESPONSE™ Becomes the Only Pregnancy Test Brand to Offer Women's Health Multivitamin Gummies

EWING, N.J., March 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Church & Dwight Co., Inc. announces the extension of the First Response™ portfolio beyond at-home pregnancy and ovulation test kits, with the launch of two new, multivitamin gummies that make consuming essential nutrients enjoyable for women throughout their reproductive health journey.

For over 25 years, the maker of First Response™ has been a pioneer in women's health, with a portfolio of innovative, at-home fertility, ovulation and pregnancy test kits. Extending the brand's leadership footprint in women's health, First Response™ has launched two vitamin SKUs, First Response™ Reproductive Health Multivitamin Gummies and PreNatal & PostNatal Multivitamin Gummies, which will be available in drug, grocery and mass retailers across the country starting in April for $14.99.

First Response™ multivitamin gummies were developed to provide women with the recommended amount of folic acid in an easy-to-consume gummy form. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all women of child bearing age consume 400 mcg of folic acid daily to help reduce the risk of having a pregnancy affected by spina bifida or other neural tube defects¹. Because nearly half of pregnancies are unplanned in the United States², all women should consume folic acid on a daily and continuous basis to prepare their body for pregnancy even before they consider trying to conceive. 

"First Response has been a trusted resource for women for more than 25 years, delivering her the innovative tools she needs to be prepared and knowledgeable throughout her reproductive health journey – a journey that extends well before pregnancy through post-pregnancy," said Stacey Feldman, Vice President of Marketing, Church & Dwight. "As the category leader, First Response remains committed to reducing the anxiety faced throughout the family planning process by giving women a full breadth of products needed to make informed, healthy decisions. Expanding our portfolio to include women's health vitamins allows us to meet yet another crucial need, extending our support throughout a woman's reproductive years."

The First Response™ Reproductive Health Multivitamin Gummy is a multivitamin with essential nutrients needed for overall health and to help prepare for pregnancy (including 400 mcg of folic acid and 50mg of Omega-3 DHA). One serving is an excellent source of iodine to support pre-pregnancy health.^†

The First Response™ PreNatal & PostNatal Multivitamin Gummy is a multivitamin that contains essential nutrients important to pregnant and nursing women (including 800 mcg of folic acid and B vitamins for energy metabolism support) and one serving is a good source of calcium for nursing mothers.⁺ These supplements were developed in conjunction with vitafusion™, the leader in gummy vitamins and a Church & Dwight, Inc. brand.

"All women trying to get pregnant or who don't use effective contraception 100% of the time during sex, should take a daily multivitamin with 400 mcg of folic acid," said Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, Clinical Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the Yale School of Medicine. "Folic acid has been found to be instrumental in helping to prevent neural tube defects, which often develop before a woman knows she is pregnant. The nutrients and vitamins in the First Response women's health gummy vitamins are important for preparing a woman's body for a healthy pregnancy, even before they consider trying to conceive."  

The full portfolio of First Response™ products includes at-home pregnancy test kits (including the Gold™ Digital Pregnancy Test), ovulation kits (including the Daily Digital Ovulation Test) and Pre-Seed, the #1 sperm-friendly fertility lubricant. In addition, the First Response Tracker smartphone app offers personalized period and ovulation trackers, as well as a due date calculator.

For more information about First Response™, visit www.FirstResponse.com, and check out the First Response Know Sooner blog, blog.FirstResponse.com.

¹ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Folic Acid Recommendations. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/recommendations.html. Accessed February 9, 2015.
² Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Folic Acid Data and Statistics. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/data.html. Accessed February 9, 2015.

About FIRST RESPONSE™ Products
For over 25 years, the makers of FIRST RESPONSE™ have been a pioneer in women's health with a portfolio of innovative pregnancy and ovulation at-home test kits.  FIRST RESPONSE™ Early Result Pregnancy Test can be used earlier than any other test on the market to detect the pregnancy hormone hCG.  To help women get pregnant sooner* there is the FIRST RESPONSE™  Daily Digital Easy-Read Ovulation Test to determine their most important fertile days by detecting their LH surge.

*Based on directions for use

About Church & Dwight, Co., Inc.
Church & Dwight, Co., Inc., headquartered in Ewing, NJ, manufactures and markets a wide range of personal care, household and specialty products under the ARM & HAMMER brand name and other well-known trademarks.

^†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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Contact:   
Emily Collard, Edelman     
212-277-3781    
[email protected]

SOURCE First Response