Are you hoping to become pregnant? Do you have a history of miscarriages? If so, you may be looking for the best prenatal vitamins for early pregnancy chock full of the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your growing fetus needs. Need to know which type of prenatal vitamin is right for you? You’ve come to the right place. Here we’ve compiled a list of our favorite brands

The best prenatal vitamins for early pregnancy are those that are easy to swallow and have been formulated by medical professionals. The extra folic acid in this brand of prenatal vitamin may help reduce the chance of having a baby with neural tube defects. The early days of a pregnancy are when you need your vitamins the most. So start out on the right track with our Prenatal multivitamin supplement, which delivers a complete daily dose of the essential nutrients that all pregnant women need
Our Prenatal Vitamin with DHA, a proprietary formulation of the most bioavailable vitamins, minerals and herbs, has been created to maximize a mom-to-be’s health and help support baby’s development and growth. When you’re pregnant, it’s important to take prenatal vitamins. These nutrients help your body grow healthy baby and protect you from complications such as anemia or gestational diabetes. Some before-and-after pictures of what pregnancy can do to your body are proof that a little help from mom’s vitamin is a big deal.
Can I Switch My Prenatal Vitamins During Pregnancy
Yes, switching prenatal vitamins can impact your health and the development of your baby, especially during the first trimester. You can definitely switch your prenatal vitamins. You should do so when you have your doctor’s approval, and prior to using your new vitamins, be sure that you know any changes in the amount and/or type of multivitamin you’re taking.
During pregnancy, your baby’s development is shifting into high gear and your body needs more nutrients to support it. And since prenatal vitamins are designed to be safe when taken by pregnant women, there’s no need to switch pills. In fact, many experts recommend sticking with the same brand of prenatal vitamins that you’ve been taking – and continuing to take them until after delivery.” During pregnancy, it is advised to switch to prenatal vitamins because a pregnant women needs more vitamins and minerals than a normal non-pregnant woman.
When you’re pregnant, you’re going to be taking a lot of supplements. And while some of those supplements are going to stay the same throughout your pregnancy and occasionally even after delivery, there are some that will only be necessary at certain points along the way. Prenatal vitamins can be taken during pregnancy, but the amount and type of nutrient you need changes over time. For example, folic acid is needed in higher amounts as your baby grows and gets ready to start developing into a baby. Before taking any supplements, always talk to your doctor first to get a recommendation based on your own needs. If you’re already taking vitamin supplements before you become pregnant, switching to a prenatal vitamin may be as simple as replacing one or two pills in your daily regimen. Not all vitamins are created equal when it comes to prenatal value, so make sure that any pills recommended by your doctor cover both folic acid and iron
Can I Take Prenatal Vitamins During First Trimester
When you’re pregnant, it’s important to take a prenatal vitamin to help ensure your health and the health of your unborn child. However, there are some myths that say you can’t take vitamins during the first trimester, but this is not true. If you are pregnant and plan to take these supplements during your pregnancy, read on for more information about what prenatal vitamins contain and how they work. You can take prenatal vitamins during the first trimester. However, you should talk to your doctor about what’s right for you, as only a handful of people in history have done this and there is little reliable data on it.
During the first trimester of pregnancy, it’s important to take a prenatal vitamin. This can be difficult for women who are not already taking a prenatal vitamin if they become pregnant unexpectedly. Research has shown that most women don’t know or remember to start taking a prenatal vitamin during the first weeks of their pregnancy. Generally, you should avoid taking any kind of vitamin supplement during your first trimester. That includes prenatal vitamins. When you’re pregnant, you need to get all the nutrients you need from your regular diet. If you feel like you’re not getting enough in your diet, talk to your doctor or midwife about a supplement that supplies missing nutrients.
WHAT ABOUT SWITCHING VITAMINS AFTER PREGNANCY TO BOOST MILK SUPPLY?
It’s important to continue taking a prenatal vitamin after delivery, for a few reasons. Whether you’re breastfeeding or not, continued supplementation has big benefits for your baby. And while most experts agree that a prenatal vitamin isn’t going to boost your milk supply overall (if that’s the goal, the best advice is usually to pump or nurse more often), it will affect the nutritional content of your breast milk. That means a super high-quality prenatal vitamin is just as important after delivery as it was during your pregnancy.
Yes, taking prenatal vitamins during pregnancy is important. You should consult with your healthcare provider if you’re not sure whether or not this is advised.
Are Prenatal Vitamins Necessary After First Trimester
Some people think prenatal vitamins aren’t necessary after the first trimester because they think their body has already produced most of the necessary nutrients. This is not true. By week 12, the baby is just 0.08 mm long! During this time, its bones are making themselves inside your body and by week 16 it’s about 1 inch tall. You’ll need extra iron to keep up with this growth. It’s also important to make sure you’re getting enough Vitamins D, A and C to promote a healthy pregnancy (and help prevent birth defects)! Prenatal vitamins can help make sure those nutrients are included in your diet.
If you are pregnant, or planning a pregnancy, you need to be careful about taking vitamins or any other type of supplements. Some can do more harm than good, so it’s always best to check with your doctor before taking supplements.
What are vitamins and supplements?
Your body needs a variety of nutrients for good health: vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fats and fibre.
Vitamins are organic compounds needed in small amounts that your body can’t make for itself. Apart from vitamin D, which your skin makes from sunlight, most of the vitamins you need come from food.
Dietary supplements are complementary medicines which contain nutrients that may fill a deficiency (a gap) in your diet. Examples include multivitamins, single minerals, fish oil capsules and herbal supplements.
Essential vitamins and minerals in pregnancy
Good nutrition in pregnancy is vital for the healthy growth and development of your baby. You need to consume enough nutrients to meet your baby’s needs, as well as your own.
When you’re pregnant, you need more of some nutrients, including protein, folate, iodine, iron and some vitamins.
- folate (called ‘folic acid’ when in supplement form) helps prevent neural tube defects, such as spina bifida when taken at least 1 month before conception and throughout the first 3 months of pregnancy
- iodine is needed for brain and nervous system development
- iron helps prevent anaemia in the mother, as well as low birth weight in the baby
Vitamin B12 and vitamin D are also particularly important since they support the development of the baby’s nervous system (B12) and skeleton (D). Adequate vitamin C intake also helps improve the adsorption of iron from your diet.
Do I need to take supplements?
It’s recommended that all pregnant women in Australia take folic acid, iodine and vitamin D supplements.
Having a healthy diet is important and should provide you with the other nutrients you need. Check the Australian Dietary Guidelines for more advice. However, some pregnant women may need supplements of other nutrients besides folic acid, iodine and vitamin D.
If you have a known deficiency, your doctor might advise you to take a supplement. For example:
- if you are vegetarian or vegan and not getting enough vitamin B12
- if you don’t get enough calcium, which is vital for bone health, from dairy or other calcium-rich foods
- if you are low in iron
- if you may be low in omega-3 fatty acids, e.g. if you eat very little seafood
If you’re not sure whether you need a supplement, talk to your doctor.
Multivitamins in pregnancy
A multivitamin is a combination of different vitamins and minerals, usually taken as a tablet. Some multivitamins are designed especially for pregnant women (prenatal multivitamins). But they are not a substitute for a nutritious diet. It’s important to eat healthily even if you’re taking prenatal multivitamins.
If you’re pregnant, avoid taking multivitamins that are not designed for pregnancy.
Take care with certain vitamins
Your body only needs a small amount of each nutrient, and higher amounts are not necessarily better. In fact, consuming more than you need can sometimes cause harm.
For example, high doses of vitamin A, vitamin C, or vitamin E can be dangerous. It’s best not to take these vitamins as supplements in pregnancy.
It’s also best to avoid foods that may be very high in vitamin A, including liver and liver products such as pâté.
Just as you need to check with your doctor before you take any medicines while pregnant, it’s best to talk to your doctor before taking any supplements.
Other supplements in pregnancy
Other than folic acid, vitamin D and iodine and any supplement prescribed for you by your doctor, there is limited evidence to support the use of supplements during pregnancy.
Emerging research has shown that omega-3 supplements during pregnancy might help reduce the risk of premature birth, and that probiotics might help control blood glucose levels in pregnancy. But it’s not clear whether the benefits of taking these supplements outweigh any possible harms. Until there is better evidence available, it’s best to avoid them unless prescribed by your doctor — particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Because nutritional supplements are classed as ‘complementary medicines’, they are not scrutinised or regulated as much as other medicines.
Most people agree that prenatal vitamins are essential to a healthy pregnancy. Some women will go into labor early and want to start taking their prenatal vitamins as soon as possible after becoming pregnant. However, others prefer to wait until the second trimester. The benefits of taking prenatal vitamins in your first trimester are limited and some doctors suggest you wait until the second trimester before starting them. You may start to take prenatal vitamins in your first trimester if you have a healthy diet and don’t consume enough folic acid before becoming pregnant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all women of childbearing age eat foods with folic acid (like breads, cereals, fruits and vegetables) or take a supplement.
Prenatal vitamins are still recommended in the second and third trimester, when the baby is gaining most of his or her body weight. In addition to folic acid, they contain other essential nutrients such as calcium and iron. Prenatal vitamins are also recommended after giving birth if breast-feeding.
Your body is constantly producing new cells, and the growth of your baby’s cells is speeding up. That’s why it’s important to get enough of many different vitamins and minerals in addition to folic acid during pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins help support a growing baby and hopefully provide some protection against the development of certain birth defects. The micronutrients in pre-natal vitamins can be helpful if you’ve been diagnosed with a condition that may impact your baby’s health, such as iron deficiency anemia or folic acid insufficiency. Also, if you are planning to breastfeed, taking a prenatal will give your baby what he or she needs for brain and tissue development.
What Vitamins Should I Take When I Find Out I’m Pregnant
There are certain vitamins and nutrients that are recommended for pregnant women. A prenatal vitamin is a good way to get these in one dose. The most common complaint from expecting mothers is fatigue, so we recommend this supplement for sure! The right vitamins can help boost a baby’s development and reduce the chance of complications during pregnancy. The prenatal vitamin you choose should contain folate, iron, and other essential nutrients. You may want to discuss options with your doctor or midwife.
Pregnancy vitamins always include folic acid. Folic acid helps to prevent birth defects including spina bifida, meningomyelocele and other neural tube defects. A vitamin B-complex vitamin will also be included in the prenatal vitamin and this includes thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (niacin) (B2), pyridoxine (B6), cyanocobalamin (B12) and folate. Vitamin C also belongs to this group as well as calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc. There may also be some herbs added to help with morning sickness as well as fennel or ginger which may help reduce nausea. If you’re pregnant, you’ll want to make sure you are getting enough of the key vitamins. The following vitamins will ensure that your body grows a healthy baby and is strong enough to deliver it safely into the world. Vitamin A: The nutrient offers protection against cell damage and contributes to the normal function of most organs including the heart, kidneys and lungs. It also helps maintain vision and good skin health.
A key part of your prenatal care is working with your doctor to make sure you and your baby get the right vitamins. They help ensure a healthy pregnancy and prevent any potential problems. If you’re pregnant and want to take vitamins, there are some important factors for you to consider. You should talk to your healthcare provider about which vitamins and minerals are best for you and your pregnancy. Vitamin A is one of the most common nutrients in multivitamins and it’s safe for use during pregnancy. However, too much vitamin A can be harmful so it’s important to take a supplement that contains between 5,000 IU and 10,000 IU of vitamin A in a day. Iron deficiency is linked with low birth weight babies, so it’s important to have enough iron during pregnancy. Taking an iron supplement will help you avoid anemia and meet your body’s increased need for this nutrient.
Most Important Vitamins In Early Pregnancy
The most important vitamins in early pregnancy are folic acid, vitamin B-6 and vitamin C. Folic acid (also called folate) is crucial because it reduces the risk of neural tube defects in your baby by helping to form and maintain the spinal cord, skin and bone of a developing fetus. It also helps to prevent birth defects such as spina bifida. Vitamin B-6 is also necessary for development of your baby’s nervous system, helping it grow properly inside your body.
A pregnant woman’s needs for key vitamins and minerals increase substantially during the early stages of pregnancy. The most important vitamins in early pregnancy are folic acid, vitamin B6, calcium and vitamin C which are needed to aid the development of DNA and cell growth. Vitamins are important during pregnancy because they contribute to the formation of a healthy embryo and support the growth of your unborn child. The most important vitamins in early pregnancy include folic acid (also known as B9), vitamin C, iron and zinc.
Why are prenatal vitamins important?
During pregnancy, you need more folic acid and iron than usual. Here’s why:
- Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects. These defects are serious abnormalities of the fetal brain and spinal cord. Ideally, you’ll begin taking extra folic acid at least 3 months before you become pregnant.
- Iron supports the development of the placenta and fetus. Iron helps your body make blood to supply oxygen to the fetus. Iron also helps prevent anemia, a condition in which blood has a low number of healthy red blood cells.
Which prenatal vitamin is best?
Prenatal vitamins are available over-the-counter in nearly any pharmacy. Your health care provider might recommend a specific brand or leave the choice up to you.
Beyond checking for folic acid and iron, look for a prenatal vitamin that contains calcium and vitamin D. They help promote the development of the baby’s teeth and bones. It also might be beneficial to look for a prenatal vitamin that contains vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, B vitamins, zinc and iodine.
In addition, your health care provider might suggest higher doses of certain nutrients depending on the circumstances. For example, if you’ve given birth to a baby who has a neural tube defect, your health care provider might recommend a separate supplement containing a higher dose of folic acid — such as 4 milligrams (4,000 micrograms) — before and during any subsequent pregnancies.
But in general, avoid taking extra prenatal vitamins or multivitamins with dosing in excess of what you need on a daily basis. High doses of some vitamins may be harmful to your baby. For example, extra vitamin A during pregnancy can potentially cause harm to your baby.
Do I need to be concerned about other nutrients?
Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of fat found naturally in many kinds of fish, help promote a baby’s brain development. If you don’t eat fish or other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, your health care provider might recommend omega-3 fatty acid supplements in addition to prenatal vitamins.
When should I start taking prenatal vitamins?
Ideally, you’ll start taking prenatal vitamins before conception. In fact, it’s generally a good idea for women of reproductive age to regularly take a prenatal vitamin. The baby’s neural tube, which becomes the brain and spinal cord, develops during the first month of pregnancy — perhaps before you even know that you’re pregnant.
Do prenatal vitamins have any side effects?
Sometimes the iron in prenatal vitamins contributes to constipation. To prevent constipation:
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Include more fiber in your diet
- Include physical activity in your daily routine, as long as you have your health care provider’s OK
- Ask your health care provider about using a stool softener
If these tips don’t seem to help, ask your health care provider about other options.
During early pregnancy, a woman’s body is rapidly growing, and she needs more vitamins than ever before. While it’s not possible to consume all the nutrients your growing baby needs from food alone, taking prenatal vitamins can help fill in important gaps. Folic acid is a B vitamin and one of the most important vitamins in early pregnancy. It’s vital for proper development of your baby’s spine, brain and nervous system. In fact, folic acid deficiency is a possible cause of neural tube defects like spina bifida.
Getting the proper nutrients and vitamins can support your baby’s growth and development. Vitamin A plays a vital role in vision, bone and tooth formation, immune function and healthy skin. Vitamin C is needed for healing wounds, forming collagen for healthy blood vessels, cartilage and bone as well as helping to absorb iron from food. Vitamin D helps maintain strong bones by helping the body absorb calcium from food and supplements. We also offer other essential pregnancy vitamins including B6 which helps with fetal growth and hemoglobin production.