Quick Summary: What Are Prenatal Vitamins?
Prenatal vitamins are specially formulated supplements that can help support the healthy development of your baby and the nutritional needs of your body during pregnancy.
They provide essential nutrients like folate, iron, calcium, and DHA. All of these nutrients play critical roles in your baby’s brain, bones, and overall growth (1).
Quick Tips:
• Start taking a prenatal vitamin before you get pregnant, if possible.
• Look for formulas with 400–800 mcg of folate, 27 mg of iron, and DHA for brain development.
• Choose a prenatal designed for optimal absorption and balanced nutrient support, like Prenatal Plus.
In This Article:
• What Prenatal Vitamins Are and Why They Matter
• Which Nutrients Are Most Important for You and Your Baby
• When and How to Start Taking Prenatal Vitamins
• Possible Side Effects and How to Manage Them
• Frequently Asked Questions about Prenatal Supplements
• How to Choose the Best Prenatal Vitamin for Your Needs
What Are Prenatal Vitamins?
Prenatal vitamins are multivitamin supplements designed specifically for women who are pregnant, trying to conceive, or nursing.
While we can get many of these nutrients through our diet, pregnancy significantly increases the nutritional demands of our bodies. This is especially true for key vitamins and minerals that support fetal growth and maternal health (2).
The goal of a prenatal vitamin certainly isn’t to replace a healthy diet. It’s to fill the nutritional gaps and ensure you and your baby are getting enough of the essential nutrients that can be tough to get in from food alone.
Why Prenatal Vitamins Matter
Think of it like this ... when you’re pregnant, your body is working overtime to create another human being. Nutrients that may normally be “enough” for you become shared resources between you and your baby.
Without the right supplementation, you may fall short on critical vitamins that help form your baby’s organs, brain, bones, and nervous system. That's where a high-quality prenatal vitamin can come in. Prenatal vitamins can help support:
• Brain and spinal development
• Healthy red blood cell formation
• Bone and teeth development
• Vision and nervous system health
• Energy and immune function
Each nutrient plays a vital role, so let’s break them down one by one.
Key Nutrients in a Prenatal Vitamin
1. Folate (Folic Acid)
Adequate folate intake can help support healthy neural tube development. The CDC recommends 400–800mcg of folic acid daily, ideally starting before conception and continuing through early pregnancy (3).
2. Iron
Iron supports increased blood volume during pregnancy to help deliver oxygen to the baby. Most prenatal vitamins include around 27mg of iron, which can help support healthy iron levels and reduce the risk of anemia, which is a common issue during pregnancy (4).
3. Calcium & Vitamin D
Calcium helps form your baby’s bones and teeth, while vitamin D improves calcium absorption. If your diet lacks dairy or fortified foods, a prenatal with these nutrients could help (5).
4. DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid)
DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, supports your baby’s brain and eye development. Many women don’t consume enough DHA from food alone, so supplementing can make a big difference (6).
5. Iodine
Iodine helps regulate thyroid function. Thyroid function directly affects your baby’s brain development and metabolism (7).
6. B Vitamins (Especially B6 & B12)
These vitamins can help support metabolism, energy production, and nervous system health. Vitamin B6 has also been shown to help reduce nausea in some women during pregnancy (8).
| Nutrient | Role in Pregnancy | Recommended Amount (RDA) |
|---|---|---|
| Folate | Can help support healthy neural tube development | 400–800mcg |
| Iron | Can help support increased blood volume | 27mg |
| Calcium | Can help support bone and teeth development | 1,000mg |
| Vitamin D | Can help support calcium absorption | 600IU |
| DHA | Can help support healthy brain and eye development | 200–300mg |
| Iodine | Can help support healthy thyroid function and metabolism | 150mcg |
| B6 & B12 | Can help support metabolism, energy, and a healthy nervous system | As directed |
When to Start Taking Prenatal Vitamins
The best time to start taking a prenatal vitamin is before you become pregnant. This helps prepare your body to help support the healthiest possible start for your baby (10).
One of the main reasons why is that neural tube development happens very early on. In fact, it’s often before you even know you’re pregnant, so having the right amount of folate ahead of time is critical (9).
If you’re already pregnant and haven’t started yet, don’t worry … It’s never too late to begin. I’d even recommend that you continue using it throughout your pregnancy and into the postpartum period, especially if you’re going to be nursing.
How to Take Prenatal Vitamins Effectively
Here are a few simple tips to make your prenatal vitamin routine easy and consistent:
• Take it with a meal or snack to reduce nausea.
• Stay consistent… taking it at the same time daily can help
• Pair it with hydration using water and electrolytes.
• If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, but just one serving per day.
Consistency matters more than timing. Making it a daily habit can help ensure both you and your baby are getting the support you need.
Possible Side Effects and How to Manage Them
Some women experience mild nausea or constipation from iron-rich vitamins. If this happens, here’s what you can try:
• Taking your vitamin with food
• Staying hydrated and eating fiber-rich foods
• Choosing a formula designed for gentle digestion
Prenatal Vitamins: Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I Really Need a Prenatal If I Eat a Balanced Diet?
Even with a great diet, it can be challenging to meet increased demands for folate, iron, and DHA through food alone. Prenatal vitamins can help provide these nutrients in the amounts you and your baby need.
Q: When Should I Stop Taking Prenatal Vitamins?
You can continue through your entire pregnancy and while nursing. Some women also use them postpartum to help support recovery and milk production.
Q: Can Prenatal Vitamins Cause Nausea?
If they do, the culprit is often the iron content. In my experience, taking your prenatal vitamin with food or before bed can help.
Q: What Happens If I Skip a Few Days of Taking My Prenatal Vitamin?
Missing a day or two isn’t a big deal, but consistency is key for the full benefits. If you need to, set reminders to help you stay on track.
How to Choose the Best Prenatal Vitamin: Your Checklist
Balanced Formula: Includes all key micronutrients, not just folic acid.
Bioavailable Forms: Uses nutrient forms that the body can absorb well. I always recommend powder-filled capsules over heat-compressed tablets as well.
Gentle on the Stomach: For me, this has been particularly important during morning sickness.
Third-Party Tested: Ensures purity, safety, and consistency.
A high-quality option like our Prenatal Plus is formulated for optimal absorption, comfort, and long-term support. It's also what I've personally used and swear by!
Prenatal Vitamins: The Bottom Line
A prenatal vitamin can be a simple and effective way to help support both your health and your baby’s development throughout pregnancy.
Whether you’re planning to conceive, already pregnant, or nursing ... the right supplement can help make sure your body has everything it needs.
If you’re ready to support your pregnancy with a high-quality prenatal supplement, check out 1st Phorm Prenatal Plus! It’s formulated to help support the health of both mom and baby.
For even more comprehensive support, we offer the Joy Bundle! The Joy Bundle is a combination of Prenatal Plus as well as our omega-3 fish oil supplement, Full-Mega. It contains an impressive amount of DHA and is actually something I use year-round for my own health and wellness.
A lot was covered today, so if you have any questions ... don't hesitate to reach out to us! We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches right here in St. Louis, Missouri.
Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com. We’re available Monday–Friday, 6 AM–8 PM CST, and Saturday–Sunday, 9 AM–7 PM CST.
We’ll be more than happy to help in any way we can!
References:
(1) Haider BA, et al. Multiple-micronutrient supplementation for women during pregnancy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019.
(2) Institute of Medicine (US). Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Fluoride. 2011.
(3) CDC. Folic Acid: Facts. 2024.
(4) Milman N. Iron in pregnancy. Ann Hematol. 2011.
(5) Aghajafari F, et al. Vitamin D deficiency and pregnancy outcomes. BMJ. 2013.
(6) Makrides M, et al. DHA supplementation during pregnancy. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010.
(7) Andersson M, et al. Iodine deficiency disorders. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2018.
(8) De-Regil LM, et al. Folic acid supplementation for preventing neural tube defects. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010.
(9) Greenberg JA, et al. Folic acid supplementation and pregnancy. Rev Obstet Gynecol. 2011.
(10) Kaiser L, et al. Maternal nutrition and preconception health. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2017.
