Long before you buy baby bottles, breast pumps and bibs, one key nutrient you should consume is folic acid, a primary ingredient in prenatal vitamins. These supplements also provide other nutrients you—and your growing baby—need. But the options are endless, with ingredients varying from brand to brand. The Forbes Health editorial team identified the 10 best prenatal vitamins for , considering factors like OB-GYN-recommended nutrients, price and dose instructions. Check out our top picks below.
All costs are averages based on prices found at three nationwide retailers when available and are accurate as of the publication date. It also includes vitamin B12, iron, choline, zinc and more. The product directions recommend taking one softgel a day, with food.
The company recommends taking one tablet daily, with or without food. Of note, it includes DHA, eicosapentaenoic acid EPA and choline, as well as folic acid micrograms of L-methylfolate , iron and calcium. The company recommends taking one Actif Organic Prenatal Vitamin softgel daily. One downside: It requires a little more effort, as the company recommends taking two capsules daily with food.
Additional standout nutrients include folic acid 1, micrograms of DFE , iron and zinc. The company recommends taking the two pills one softgel and one tablet with food. It includes 19 key nutrients like folate 1, of DFE , choline and zinc. Meanwhile, this product aims to ease nausea, gas and constipation with its inclusion of ginger and vitamin B6. The company recommends taking one capsule daily. The company recommends taking one softgel a day with water and food for optimal absorption.
The company recommends taking one softgel daily with food. Dietary supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration FDA , and ingredients and their amounts may vary. Be sure to talk to your doctor before taking any supplement. A prenatal vitamin is a supplement designed to provide nutrients and minerals needed for a healthy pregnancy. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists ACOG notes taking a prenatal vitamin and eating nutritious foods should provide a person with all the vitamins and minerals they need during pregnancy.
A prenatal vitamin is important for pregnant people, as the growing fetus requires certain nutrients that can be hard to get through diet alone. ACOG recommends pregnant people consume certain amounts of calcium to help build strong bones and teeth, iron to help red blood cells deliver oxygen to the fetus, iodine and choline to aid in brain development, and folic acid to help prevent birth defects.
Additionally, it recommends vitamins A, B6, B12, C and D, which provide benefits that range from promoting healthy skin and eyesight to the formation of red blood cells. Getting the recommended amount of certain nutrients—especially folic acid—can be hard to do, even if you eat a healthy diet. For example, ACOG recommends pregnant people consume micrograms of folic acid daily during pregnancy to help prevent brain and spinal birth defects.
The nutrients provided by a prenatal vitamin vary. When developing our ranking, the Forbes Health editorial team evaluated prenatal vitamins on their inclusion or lack thereof of:. When comparing ingredient lists, talk to your doctor or midwife about which prenatal vitamin is a good fit for you. Generally speaking, folic acid is a key nutrient. Many prenatal vitamins contain around micrograms of folic acid, and OB-GYNs typically recommend taking a prenatal vitamin with at least micrograms.
DHA—an omega-3 fatty acid—is also often recommended, as it may help with fetal brain development. Many prenatal vitamins include DHA. Rachel uses her own experiences with infertility to write compassionate, practical, and supportive articles. Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products, and articles are reviewed by healthcare professionals for medical accuracy.
You can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. Nutrient needs are increased during pregnancy to support the growth and development of the fetus while also supporting the health of the mother.
It is important to make sure prenatal supplements have been tested by third-party labs and offer maximum transparency to consumers. A prenatal vitamin is a multivitamin that is designed with pregnancy and breastfeeding in mind. The number of vitamins and minerals in these supplements are safe and appropriate when trying to conceive, during pregnancy, and postpartum while you are breastfeeding. Some specialized prenatal vitamins may also have other pregnancy-related additives, including DHA which is an omega-3 fatty acid.
In addition to purity tests and transparency, it is important to consider the amounts of key prenatal nutrients —such as calcium, vitamin d, iron, folate, and choline—that the supplement contains in each dose. Women may need to try a few different prenatal supplements before finding one that does not have undesired side effects, such as nausea or constipation. Here, the best prenatal vitamins for all your needs:. If you're looking for an excellent overall prenatal, Thorne's Basic Prenatal is the top pick, particularly for its highly absorbable form of folate.
In addition, it is especially critical for the closure of the neural tube, which is the precursor to the brain and spinal cord. Though many foods like cereal, bread, and grains are enriched with folic acid the synthetic form of folate that is used in supplements and fortified foods and other b vitamins, supplementation is still recommended for pregnant women, as their need for this nutrient becomes 50 percent higher.
It is recommended that women consume micrograms of supplemental folic acid, in addition to the folate found in food. In addition, this prenatal is gluten-, dairy-, soy-, and artificial flavor-free. Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy are common occurrences experienced by a large number of women. Ginger has been used for centuries as a herbal remedy for numerous ailments, including digestive issues such as nausea.
A systematic review examined the use of ginger for the treatment of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy and found that ginger significantly improved the symptoms of nausea when compared to a placebo.
This supplement is vegetarian, certified non-GMO, and gluten- and synthetic filler-free. DHA is found primarily in seafood. A reference intake for the amount of DHA that should be consumed per day hasn't been set yet, but health experts agree that pregnant and lactating women should consume at least milligrams of DHA per day.
Others believe that pregnant women should up their intake to milligrams of DHA per day. All of Nordic Naturals products are non-GMO, use wild-caught fish, and are third-party tested, surpassing the strictest international standards for purity and freshness. Note that this is not a complete prenatal multivitamin, but rather an additional supplement for your routine.
SmartyPants Organics Prenatal Formula gummy vitamins are free of artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, and the top eight allergens. Smarty Pants does not use synthetic colors or artificial flavors in their gummies, and each batch is third-party tested for purity. From one four-gummy serving, mothers-to-be will get percent of their daily value for vitamin D and percent of their daily value for folate. The supplement also contains pregnancy essentials like choline, as well as omegas and probiotics.
One serving contains 7 grams of added sugar, an important note if consumers have been instructed to watch their sugar intake during pregnancy. It is also important to note that the supplement does not contain iron, so it might be contraindicated for vegan or vegetarian mothers-to-be who depend on supplemental iron intake. The nutrients contained in this product are derived from an organic food blend. With percent daily value for vitamin d and percent daily value for folate, it's perfect for pregnant women looking for natural supplementation.
It's important to note, however, that the prenatal vitamin only contains 50 percent of the recommended daily intake of iron and does not contain choline, another critical nutrient for healthy fetus development , so consumers may need to use additional supplements if their diet is lacking in iron and choline consumption.
Given the lower amount of iron, this pick may be ideal for women who find supplemental iron to be constipating, but it's still important to make sure your increased iron needs are met through diet by speaking with a registered dietitian or physician. Folate is a key nutrient for women during their reproductive years, but it's important to get the right form.
Many brands use folic acid, the synthetic form of folate, but this form isn't necessarily the most bioavailable for everyone. For this reason, whether you have the MTHFR mutation or not, it's important to select a prenatal vitamin with methylated folate. Megafood is one of the most trusted brands in the supplement industry because of its commitment to transparency.
Their products are certified glyphosate-, GMO-, soy-, gluten-, and dairy-free and have been tested for over pesticides and herbicides. When you're pregnant, your iron needs increase by 50 percent—18 milligrams for adult women to 27 milligrams per day for pregnant adult women. The growing baby requires adequate iron to support the healthy growth of cells, tissues, and organs and mom needs extra iron to support the increase in blood volume when pregnant.
The extra red blood cells that are produced carry oxygen to the baby and, without enough iron, mom can develop iron-deficiency anemia which has been associated with increased risk of low-birth-weight infants, premature delivery , and infant mortality.
Unlike many prenatals that require multiple tablets per dose, this product comes in a single tablet serving size. When taking a supplement that contains iron, do not take it with coffee, tea, bran, or milk as this can affect absorption.
If you're looking for an excellent all-around prenatal vitamin, consider Thorne's Basic Prenatal view at Amazon , which contains key ingredients, including folate, iron, and calcium. The added DHA helps you meet your needs for this essential fatty acid.
It also provides DHA from algal oil, which is suitable for vegetarians. This supplement is missing choline — an important nutrient for fetal brain development — and calcium. If you choose this option, be sure to increase your intake of calcium- and choline-rich foods, or take supplements of these nutrients separately. Your doctor can give you more specific advice if you have concerns about meeting your nutrient needs.
It also contains methylfolate — an easy-to-absorb form of folate — as well as choline. Ask your doctor for a recommendation for an iron supplement. These may not be the best choice for those with blood sugar management issues, like gestational diabetes.
With added probiotics and ginger, they may help ease any queasiness. They also provide DHA plus probiotics and digestive enzymes, which may help soothe digestive issues. You may find that you feel a little nauseous after taking a prenatal vitamin.
Be sure to drink lots of water and increase fiber in your diet. Ask your doctor to recommend a pregnancy-safe stool softener. If none of these steps help, ask your doctor for a different prenatal vitamin recommendation. Finding one that works for you will help ensure the best possible health for you and your little one. Jessica Timmons has been a freelance writer since She writes, edits, and consults for a great group of steady accounts and the occasional one-off project, all while juggling the busy lives of her four kids with her ever-accommodating husband.
She loves weightlifting, really great lattes, and family time. If you're wondering when to start taking prenatal vitamins, it's probably time. We'll tell you why earlier is better. Pregnant women taking prenatal vitamins may not need them, according to a review of published research about the effectiveness. Prenatal nutrition can be confusing. This article explains which supplements are believed to be safe during pregnancy and which ones you should avoid. Vitamin supplements are absorbed differently depending on their type.
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