Prenatal Vitamins: What, When, Why, & How

If you’re thinking of getting pregnant, then it’s time to start taking a prenatal vitamin. These vitamins are specially made to include the additional nutrients you need to support a healthy pregnancy.

But what are those nutrients? When in your pregnancy do you need them? Why can’t you get them from your diet? And how are you supposed to stomach a tablet while struggling with morning sickness?

We asked pregnancy expert Jeffrey Bell, MD, to share more about prenatal vitamins.

What’s In a Prenatal Vitamin?

Most of the time, you should try to get your nutrients from your diet. But pregnancy is one of the few exceptions every doctor makes to that rule. Because there are a few nutrients you need that aren’t often found in your diet in the amounts you’ll need.

Folic Acid

Folic acid prevents neural tube defects, which cause conditions like spina bifida. To reduce the risk of birth defects, you’ll need to consume around 600-800 mcg of folic acid daily. “Folic acid is one of the building blocks of cells,” Bell explains. “Adequate folic acid levels are important to have a healthy baby.”

Iron

Many women struggle with iron deficiency and anemia. These are conditions that can make you feel tired and prevent your immune system from working the way it should. During pregnancy, your body has to make a lot more blood to support your baby. This can make iron deficiency worse. Coupled with the fatigue that already comes with pregnancy, it’s no wonder that so many women have a tough first trimester.

Vitamin C

To properly absorb iron, your body also needs vitamin C. Taking them at the same time can help with absorption. Many people get enough vitamin C from their diets (just one grapefruit gets you 70% of the way there), but boosting your iron absorption is a good reason to make sure your prenatal also has it. Plus, there’s no such thing as too much vitamin C; it can’t hurt you.

Calcium & Vitamin D

Did you know that your baby is born with all of their teeth? Even though you won’t be able to see them (just a sweet, gummy smile at first), babies are born with both their baby and adult teeth already in place. And you, right now, are making those teeth as well as your baby’s bones.

Together, calcium and vitamin D provide the building blocks for strong teeth and bones. Taking these vitamins can also help you. Ultimately, your body will take from you what it needs to help your baby grow. Which is why so many women develop osteoporosis following childbirth.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3s can help your baby’s brain develop. They also help reduce inflammation and improve heart health. Some prenatal vitamins include omega-3s. Unfortunately, this can be a bit of a problem for some pregnant women. Depending on the source of the omega-3, it could make your prenatal taste a bit “fishy.” This can make your morning sickness dial go haywire.

There are a lot of good ways to work omega-3 into your diet, if you want the benefits without the fish burps.

When Should You Start Taking Prenatal Vitamins?

“Actually, taking folic acid before you conceive is more important than when you’re pregnant. So, there’s more benefit in taking it before you get pregnant,” Bell shares. Ideally, you’d start taking prenatal vitamins 3 months before getting pregnant. A lot of this development starts early in pregnancy, before you may even know that you are pregnant. The biggest reason to take a prenatal versus other vitamins is the folic acid content, which is a vitamin not found in standard multivitamins.

In terms of time of day, it doesn’t really matter. But most people do take them in the morning. That’s because taking them with food and water helps them be better absorbed. Taking a prenatal vitamin on an empty stomach can lead to you feeling nauseated.

What If I Wasn’t Taking a Prenatal Before?

Just because they’re not branded as a prenatal doesn’t mean you’ve been lax in taking your folic acid. “That’s why we tell our patients that all women should take a women’s vitamin. They have extra folic acid.”

Why Take Prenatal Vitamins?

Prenatal vitamins with folic acid are the only thing proven to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in a baby. The most common neural tube defect is spina bifida.

In an effort to reduce the number of children born with spina bifida, the United States started requiring folic acid fortification. In the following years, the number of babies born with spina bifida declined by 26%. Since then, doctors have been recommending prenatal vitamins with folic acid to further reduce the risk. 

But How Can I Take Them?

Asking women to swallow a horse pill while they’re struggling with nausea is a bit of an ask. Fortunately, there are solutions.

Gummy vitamins

The downside of gummy vitamins is that they don’t contain iron. As mentioned above, iron is important. But you can also take iron separately, which may make it easier.

Smaller Prenatal Vitamins

Yes. Most of the time, having 1 pill to swallow is better. But if you need to do multiple smaller doses, that’s also fine. With hard tablets, you can also split your dose and take half with one meal and half with another.

Folic Acid Only

The thing that really makes prenatal vitamins different is the presence of folic acid. But for some, just taking folic acid is a better solution. You can work with your prenatal specialists to make sure the other nutrients you need are in your diet.

Other Tips:

Taking supplements, especially iron, can cause nausea and constipation for many. Here are some additional tips for making it a little easier.

• Take with food
• Drink a lot of water
• Make sure you’re getting fiber

Can’t Find a Prenatal That Works?

If you’ve tried everything and still can’t find a prenatal that works for you, talk to your OB-GYN about other ways to get the folic acid you need for a healthy pregnancy.