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When you’re growing a tiny human inside of you, your body’s nutritional demands increase tremendously.
And while you can get lots of essential nutrients from a well-balanced diet, it’s likely not enough to cover all your bases during pregnancy.
In fact, in the U.S. alone, upwards of 27% of pregnant women experience iron-deficiency anemia in the third trimester. And nearly 90% of pregnant women get less than the estimated requirement of vitamin D.
That may sound alarming. But it’s the reason why prenatal vitamins and supplements are so important! They provide a safety net of nutrients for both mom and baby.
So if you’re wondering how you can support a healthy pregnancy with prenatal vitamins, keep reading!
Key Takeaways
- Prenatal supplements are vital for meeting increasing nutrient needs during pregnancy.
- Prenatal vitamins are not the same as regular multivitamins. They contain pregnancy-specific nutrients like folic acid, iron, DHA, and choline.
- For the baby, a prenatal supplement supports growth and can also reduce the risk of neural tube defects.
- Supplementing with vitamins also helps the mother’s health by boosting immunity and limiting complications (for example, prevent anemia).
- The exact dosing will depend on the unique formula of your prenatal. So consult your doctor and the manufacturer’s directions carefully before taking.
- Some side effects can happen when taking prenatals. Common ones include constipation or an upset stomach.
- While prenatals can help you reach your nutrient needs in pregnancy, a healthy diet is also important.
- You can start taking prenatal vitamins a few months before you conceive. But you should definitely start taking them once you know you’re pregnant.
- Prenatals don’t guarantee you won’t have pregnancy complications. But they do lower your risk of negative outcomes, but they do give you a much better chance at a healthy pregnancy.
What Are Prenatal Vitamins?
Prenatal vitamins (aka prenatal supplements) are uniquely formulated multivitamins that provide the most vital nutrients for pregnancy.
Prenatal vitamins vs. standard multivitamins
Prenatals are not like regular vitamins that you’d take for general wellness. Instead, they’re tailored for pregnancy-specific challenges like: bone strength, neural tube development, and extra blood volume.
Most prenatal vitamins will have higher levels of folic acid, iron, and DHA, which are all important for the health of the mother and the growing fetus.
They also usually have nutrients like choline and iodine (which most regular multivitamins don’t have).
Where to get your prenatal vitamin?
Thankfully, in most places, prenatal vitamins are easily accessible. You can get them without a prescription online or at a local grocery store or pharmacy in the form of capsules, tablets, and gummies. You can even find them as liquids and powders these days.
For some pregnant women though, a higher dosage of certain vitamins may be necessary. This may be the case if you’re pregnant with multiples or if you have certain health conditions. In these instances, a doctor may write you a prescription for a more specific prenatal formula.
How do prenatal vitamins help at different stages of pregnancy?
Even though the name “prenatal” refers to being pregnant, prenatals can be taken before conceiving and during postpartum as well. This is because the same nutrients that support a woman during pregnancy are also vital for conception and lactation.
- Preconception: They prepare a woman’s body for pregnancy by improving egg quality and implantation.
- During pregnancy: They support proper fetal development and overall maternal health.
- Postpartum/breastfeeding: They help replenish the mother’s nutrient stores and boost milk quality (if pumping or breastfeeding).
When To Start Taking Prenatal Vitamins?
When it comes to taking prenatal supplements, a good rule of thumb is the sooner, the better! This is because the baby’s neural tube, which becomes the future brain and spinal cord, develops within the first few weeks of pregnancy. And some women don’t even know they’re pregnant this early on.
If you’re not yet pregnant, a good time frame to begin supplementation is the 1 – 3 months before TTC. This can help proactively bulk up your nutrient stores and ensure healthy neural tube development.
Learn more: Vitamins for Fertility: Supplements to Take When TTC
But if you’re already pregnant and haven’t yet started taking a prenatal, no need to stress out. Just start taking one as soon as you have a chance to check in with your doctor.
If you plan to pump milk for or nurse your baby, also ask your physician about how long they suggest taking prenatal vitamins postpartum.
Regardless of when you start taking your prenatal vitamins, it’s a good idea to know how much of each nutrient you need. To learn more about this, look at the table in the next section!
Recommended Daily Amounts of Key Pregnancy Nutrients
With so many supplements out there these days, it can be confusing to know how much of certain vitamins you actually need.
Look at the table below to see the recommended daily amounts from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). You’ll also see ways you can get these nutrients from a healthy diet versus when you may need to supplement.
One last thing: It’s important to realize that the recommended daily amount (RDA) for each nutrient is the total amount from foods, drinks, and supplements.
Nutrient and total recommended daily amount (RDA) | Best food sources | Guidance for supplementation |
Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) | Fortified cereals, breads, and pastas Peanuts Dark green leafy vegetables Orange juice Beans | Most people don’t get enough folate from food alone. It’s recommended to take a prenatal vitamin with at least 400 mcg from 1 month before conception through the first trimester. |
Iron | Lean red meat Poultry Fish Dried beans Peas Iron-fortified cereals Prune juice | When pregnant, you need 27 mg per day. Most prenatal vitamins cover this amount. |
Iodine | Dairy products Iodized table salt Eggs Seafood Meat Some breads | Most women need a prenatal supplement that contains iodine to reliably meet their pregnancy needs. |
Choline | Milk Beef liver Eggs Peanuts Soy products | Most women don’t get enough choline from their diet, especially if they’re vegetarian or vegan. Many prenatal supplements contain choline. |
Calcium | Milk Cheese Yogurt Sardines Dark green leafy vegetables | Many women are able to get enough calcium from their diet. But for those with low dietary intake or certain health conditions, it may be necessary to supplement while pregnant. |
Vitamin D | Sunlight Fortified milk Fatty fish like salmon and sardines | Most pregnant women are advised by their doctor to take a vitamin D supplement daily during pregnancy. |
Omega 3 fatty acids (DHA) | Fatty cold-water fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines Other seafood | Purified fish oil supplements are a reliable source of DHA (without worrying about mercury or other toxins). |
Vitamin C | Broccoli Tomatoes Citrus fruit Strawberries | Vitamin C supplements are usually unnecessary and can be harmful in excess, especially during pregnancy. |
Vitamin A | Carrots Sweet potatoes Green leafy vegetables | Supplementation is generally not recommended unless you have a diagnosed deficiency because excess vitamin can harm you and your baby. Note: Avoid taking cod liver oil or supplements with vitamin A (retinol) in pregnancy. |
Vitamin B6 | Pork Ham Beef Liver Whole-grain cereals Bananas | Most women get enough vitamin B6 from their diet. But if may be prescribed for severe morning sickness, absorption issues, or deficiencies. |
Vitamin B12 | Milk Fish Poultry Meat | If you are vegan or vegetarian, you may need to take a vitamin B12 supplement. |
As you can see in the table, the main nutrients that you’ll most likely need to supplement in pregnancy are: iron, Vitamin D, folic acid, choline, and iodine.
The other vitamins and nutrients will depend on your unique health and lifestyle needs.
In any case, consult your healthcare provider about your unique health and pregnancy before beginning supplementation.
And if you’re curious to learn more about each of these nutrients and why they’re critical for pregnancy, keep reading!
Benefits of Specific Prenatal Nutrients
The 11 nutrients listed below (same as the table in the previous section) each play a vital role in maternal health and fetal development.
So let’s be sure to understand the benefits of maintaining optimum levels of each one as well as the risks of not! In some cases, having a deficiency in one of these nutrients can lead to adverse outcomes for the mom and/or baby.
1. Iron
Iron helps you maintain a healthy oxygen supply for the fetus and placenta as your blood volume increases.
Without enough iron in pregnancy, you could be at a higher risk for:
- Low birth weight
- Preterm birth
- Higher risk of infant mortality or developmental issues
Tell-tale signs of iron deficiency are: fatigue, dizziness, and breathlessness.
Some women with low iron go on to develop severe anemia ( when your hemoglobin is less than 70 g/L). This brings on even more risks like hemorrhage or even maternal death.
Sadly, iron deficiency often goes undiagnosed. In fact, nearly 75% of pregnant women develop iron deficiency or anemia by the time they reach the third trimester. And this is especially for women in marginalized groups.
So if you’re pregnant, absolutely make sure between your diet and prenatal vitamins, that you are getting enough iron!
2. Folic acid
Folic acid is essential for the healthy development of the baby’s brain and spine. It also aids with the general development of the placenta and fetus.
Without enough folic acid in pregnancy, you could be at a higher risk for:
- Preeclampsia
- Complications with the placenta
- Fetal growth restrictions
- Birth defects
- Miscarriage (in severe cases)
3. Iodine
Iodine is probably a nutrient you haven’t heard as much about. But worldwide, it’s actually estimated that over 2 billion people have an iodine deficiency. This is concerning because in pregnancy, iodine is vital for healthy fetal brain development.
Without enough iodine in pregnancy, you could be at a higher risk for:
- Low birth weight
- Miscarriage
- Neurodevelopmental impairments for the fetus
4. Calcium
Calcium helps maintain healthy bone density for both mom and the growing baby. Unfortunately, in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), 80% of pregnant women don’t get enough calcium.
Without enough calcium in pregnancy, you could be at a higher risk for preeclampsia (a serious complication that causes high blood pressure and even organ damage).
5. Vitamin D
Like calcium, vitamin D also plays a role in strong bones and teeth. Plus, it supports healthy skin and eyesight. Builds your fetus’s bones and teeth and also helps promote healthy eyesight and skin.
Studies estimate that between 5 and 50% of pregnant women are deficient in vitamin D.
Without enough vitamin D in pregnancy, you could be at a higher risk for:
- Preeclampsia
- Low birth weight
- Poor fetal growth
- Weak bones
6. Choline
Like folic acid, choline supports neural tube formation and brain development. It also helps with lipid metabolism and liver function.
Without enough choline in pregnancy, you could be at a higher risk for:
- Neural tube defects
- Impaired cognitive development for the baby
- Liver disease in expectant mothers
7. Omega 3 fatty acids (DHA)
DHA is important for healthy brain and nervous system development as well as eyesight. It also supports maternal mood and heart health.
Without enough DHA in pregnancy, you could be at a higher risk for:
- Premature delivery
- Impaired vision or brain development for the fetus
- Depression and inflammation for the mother
8. Vitamin A
Vitamin A is important for the fetus’s developing organs like the heart, lungs, eyes, bones, kidney. For the mother, vitamin A boosts immunity and the repair of tissues throughout the body.
Without enough vitamin A in pregnancy, you could be at a higher risk for:
- Vision impairments (like poor vision at night)
- Anemia
- Preterm birth or low birth weight
9. Vitamin C
You probably already know that vitamin C is important for a healthy immune system and fighting off illness. But during pregnancy, it’s also necessary for iron absorption, collagen production, and wound healing.
Without enough vitamin C in pregnancy, you could be at a higher risk for:
- Preeclampsia
- Anemia
- Growth restrictions
- Problems with the placenta (like placental abruption)
10. Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 helps with fetal brain and nervous system development. And for the mother, it supports the formation of red blood cells, blood sugar balance, and immune function. On top of that, it’s often prescribed to relieve morning sickness and nausea.
Without enough vitamin B6 in pregnancy, you could be at a higher risk for:
- Skin problems
- Anemia
- Preeclampsia
- Morning sickness
11. Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 helps with the formation of the fetal brain and spinal cord as well as DNA synthesis. It also supports the mother’s red blood cell formation, placenta, and nerve tissue health.
Without enough vitamin B12 in pregnancy, you could be at a higher risk for:
- Fetal brain damage due to poor psychomotor development
- Anemia
- Preterm birth
Feeling like this is a lot of vitamins to stay on top of? We get it!
But remember, you may not need to take a supplement for all of these as you may already get enough from your diet.
If you still have any lingering doubts, read on to learn more about proper dosing for prenatals.
What’s the Right Timing and Dosage of Prenatal Supplementation?
As mentioned, it’s best to start taking prenatal vitamins prior to getting pregnant or as soon as you find out you’re pregnant.
But let’s talk more about the specifics of appropriate dosages and timing:
What dose should you take of each vitamin?
For most prenatals, you take the supplement just once a day. Depending on the exact brand, one serving could mean more than one pill or capsule. But it really depends on the specific prenatal you are taking, so read the directions on the bottle carefully. And also check in with your doctor to be sure what’s a single dose.
On top of your prenatal vitamin, your ob-gyn may recommend separate supplements to take in addition to your main prenatal. If you have a few supplements to take each day, using a pillbox can help you stay organized with your dosages.
What if you miss doses of your prenatals?
When it comes to prenatals, consistency matters for maintaining healthy levels of vital nutrients. So put supports in place to help you to remember to take your supplements if needed. Setting an alarm and taking your vitamins at the same each time every day can help with remembering.
If you accidentally forget to take a dose, try to take it as soon as you remember. The exception to this is if you remember to close to when the next dose should be. In that case, just wait because it can be dangerous to have a double dose of certain vitamins and supplements.
The bottom line is to communicate with your physician so you know exactly when and how much to take of your prenatals.
This will help you avoid any harmful side effects (which we’ll go over next)!
Are There Any Side Effects to Taking Prenatal Vitamins?
Yes, it’s possible to experience side effects when taking prenatal vitamins. But the good news is that for most women, these side effects are fairly mild.
The exact side effects depend on your unique supplementation regimen. But here are the main effects to be aware of:
Upset stomach, constipation, nausea, or diarrhea can occur (especially with iron supplements)
A metallic taste in your mouth right after taking the supplement
Burping
Allergic reactions (in rare cases, you may get a rash, itching, or swelling)
Be aware: If you are on any specialized medications already, there’s also a chance of interaction with the prenatal. So make sure your doctor knows about any medications you are currently on.
What if you do experience any side effects? Try to manage them by:
- Choosing a delayed-release capsule
- Taking your prenatal with food
- Eating meals in smaller portions
- Opting for a different brand
- Switching up the timing of when you take your vitamins
Of course, if you notice any concerning or persistent issues with taking prenatals, tell your doctor right away!
FAQs
Yes, you can! In fact, if you’re actively TTC, most healthcare providers will recommend you begin taking a prenatal 1 – 3 months prior to conception. The main one that you should take prior to pregnancy if you can is folic acid since this helps reduce the baby’s risk of neural tube defects.
It is important to have a healthy store of vitamin C, but most people get enough vitamin C from foods. If you think you’re deficient in vitamin C, ask your doctor about it. But having too much vitamin C in pregnancy can be harmful.
Prenatal vitamins help the mother maintain vital nutrient stores to support a healthy pregnancy for both the mother and the baby.
Yes, to experience the benefits of prenatal vitamins, you should take your supplement every day. Just be sure to follow the exact dosing instructions on the label or consult your doctor.
Yes, men can take vitamins and supplements to boost their fertility. Two of these include Vitamin D and CoQ10.
Learn more: Vitamins for Fertility: Supplements to Take When TTC
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Dietary Supplements and Life Stages: Pregnancy – Health Professional Fact Sheet
Nutrition During Pregnancy | ACOG
The Incidence, Complications and Treatment of Iron Deficiency in Pregnancy – PMC
Folic Acid Supplementation and Pregnancy: More Than Just Neural Tube Defect Prevention – PMC
Teratology Public Affairs Committee Position Paper: Iodine Deficiency in Pregnancy – PMC
Implications of vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy and lactation – PMC
A critical evaluation of prenatal supplements: Are they meeting the mark? – PMC
