For most women the moment they learn that they are pregnant changes their behavior drastically. Suddenly everything you do, everything you eat, and even what you think centers on the baby. That’s a good thing, too, because once that child actually arrives, they will be the center of your world for a long time. Among these thoughts, you should be considering what will be the best prenatal vitamin for pregnancy.
Prenatal vitamins are essential to the health and well-being of both you and your baby. Many women begin taking prenatal vitamins even before they get pregnant. This is not a bad idea since building up folic acid in your body before pregnancy is a great way to prevent serious birth defects.
Other women may not take the vitamins pre-pregnancy but understand that the moment they learn they are pregnant some changes must be made in their nutrition. Adding a prenatal vitamin is an easy and important step. However, you should also understand that a prenatal vitamin is not a substitute for good nutrition. Always think of the vitamin as a supplement to good nutrition, not a substitute.
Knowing you need a prenatal vitamin and knowing which one, however, are two different things. There are tons of vitamins on the market today, and each one claims to be the best. So how do you know which one really is the best for you and your baby? We have created a top 10 here to help you get started.
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Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Prenatal Vegetarian Multivitamin Supplement |
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Product FAQ
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To start your research, we have provided the best prenatal vitamin for pregnancy FAQs here.
1. Do I Really Need Prenatal Vitamins?
Some women make the mistake of thinking that because they eat well or because they are already taking a multi-vitamin, they do not need to take a prenatal vitamin. It is true that you do not need to take a prenatal vitamin in addition to a multi-vitamin. Instead, you should stop taking your regular multi-vitamin and replace it with a prenatal vitamin.
Prenatal vitamins provide larger amounts of certain nutrients that your body will be in high demand for. Some of these nutrients include folic acid and iron, which most multi-vitamins do not have in high doses. The vitamin will also have nutrients that are essential to your baby’s growth and development. Prenatal vitamins and multi-vitamins are very different.
2. When Should I Start Prenatal Vitamins?
Ideally, any woman in her childbearing years should be taking prenatal vitamins whether they are planning a pregnancy or not. Taking the vitamins before conception gives your body the opportunity to build up nutrients and work on deficiencies before the baby begins to pull nutrients from your body. If you were not taking prenatal vitamins before conception, then you should start the moment you learn that you are pregnant.
3. Do I Need a Prescription?
Prenatal vitamins are easily bought over the counter. However, there are prescription vitamins available as well. In most cases, prescription vitamins are going to contain a higher dose of certain nutrients such as iron. If you are in need of prescription vitamins, your doctor will discuss this with you during your visit and will make the appropriate recommendations.
For most women, however, over-the-counter prenatal vitamins work to provide the additional nutrients that are needed during pregnancy.
4. How Do I Choose the Best Prenatal Vitamin for Pregnancy?
You will notice that there are slight differences between over-the-counter prenatal vitamins. However, there are certain nutrients which are a must in a good prenatal vitamin. Look for vitamins that contain at least 600 mcg Folic Acid, 27 mg Iron, 1,000 mg Iron, and 600 IU Vitamin D. You will also want a prenatal vitamin that contains Vitamin A, C, B6, and B12.
You will find prenatal vitamins that also contain other nutrients such as Omega 3s. Omega 3s are a great bonus during pregnancy. These are essential for healthy bone and brain development, not to mention they can also help you to feel more focused and less foggy during your pregnancy.
You will also see that prenatal vitamins come in many forms. There are traditional pill forms, gummies, and even liquids. The form in which you take your vitamins is not important. This is just a preference. Whichever way helps you better get it down and keep it down is the ideal form.
How We Reviewed
Photo by freestocks.org from Pexels
The following products were reviewed based on the following parameters: Features, Pros & Cons, Price, and Where to Buy. This should help you get started on your search. You should discuss with your doctor any recommendations they may have concerning prenatal vitamins as well.
Overall Price Range
Most prenatal vitamins can be found for between $10-$30.
What We Reviewed
- Nature Made Prenatal
- Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Prenatal Vegetarian Multivitamin Supplement
- MegaFood – Baby & Me
- Rainbow Light – Prenatal One Multivitamin
- New Chapter Perfect Prenatal Vitamins
- Nordic Naturals – Prenatal DHA
- Vitafusion Prenatal Gummy Vitamins
- Mama Bird AM/PM Prenatal Multivitamin
- SmartyPants Prenatal Complete Daily Gummy Vitamins
Spring Valley – PrenatalNature Made Prenatal
Features
This is a great choice, especially if you are on a budget. Nature Made Prenatal provides all of the nutrients that a soon to be mom will need in addition to a good dose of DHA Omega 3 fatty acids. This vitamin provides 200 mg DHA which is the recommended dose for pregnant women. Nature made provides all of this for an affordable price.
Many women like these vitamins so much that they continue using them beyond pregnancy while they are breastfeeding to provide their babies with additional DHA.
Pros
- Affordable
- Nutrient Sufficient
- Contains DHA
Cons
- Pills are large
- Some report a fishy aftertaste
Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Prenatal Vegetarian Multivitamin Supplement
Features
This vitamin addresses an important topic in pregnancy, and that is Folic Acid vs Folate. Folate is an essential nutrient needed during pregnancy. Folate is also known as B9. Although Folate is very important in preventing certain birth defects, it is hard to come by. Thus, Folic Acid was created which is a synthetic form of Folate.You should think of Folate as the purest form of Folic Acid. For this reason, many people have chosen this as the best prenatal vitamin for pregnancy because it contains pure Folate in addition to the many other nutrients.
Pros
- Contains Folate
- Vegan-friendly
- Easy to digest
Cons
- Does not contain DHA
MegaFood Baby & Me
Features
MegaFood Vitamins are known for providing nutrients via real whole foods ingredients. This differs greatly from synthetically reproduced nutrients. This particular vitamin is a great choice for moms-to-be who are concerned about the purity of their ingredients. This is one of the few prenatal vitamins that has the seal of approval from NSF International. This is a third party which tests supplements for purity and effectiveness.MegaFood also uses ingredients which are more easily absorbed by you and your baby, so your body can actually use more of what you are taking.
Pros
- Approved by third-party testing
- Easy to absorb
Cons
- Pricey
- Does not have necessary iron amounts
Rainbow Light – Prenatal One Multivitamin
Features
The great selling point for Rainbow Light Prenatal vitamins is their size. The mini-tabs are easy to swallow which is important to many soon-to-be moms. When you are dealing with nausea, the last thing you want to do is try to swallow a huge pill.Despite their small size, though, each mini tab is a powerhouse of nutrients essential to a healthy pregnancy. This is also one of the more affordable options for over-the-counter prenatal vitamins. This is why many women have chosen Rainbow Light as their pick for best prenatal vitamin for pregnancy.
Pros
- Affordable
- Easy to Swallow
Cons
- Does not contain full daily calcium
New Chapter Perfect Prenatal Vitamins
Features
The great selling point for New Chapter Perfect Prenatal Vitamins is their size. The mini-tabs are easy to swallow which is important to many soon-to-be moms. When you are dealing with nausea, the last thing you want to do is try to swallow a huge pill.Despite their small size, though, each mini tab is a powerhouse of nutrients essential to a healthy pregnancy. This is also one of the more affordable options for over-the-counter prenatal vitamins. This is why many women have chosen Rainbow Light as their pick for best prenatal vitamin for pregnancy.
Pros
- 100% daily iron
- Easy to swallow and digest
Cons
- Pricey
- Folic Acid instead of Folate
Nordic Naturals – Prenatal DHA
Features
This is not a prenatal multi-vitamin, but it is important to mention this product because it fills an important nutritional gap. Nordic Natural Prenatal DHA is an important supplement for moms to use because DHA Omega 3 Fatty Acids are essential to proper fetal brain development. Many prenatal vitamins do not have DHA.Taking prenatal DHA in addition to your prenatal vitamin will benefit both you and your baby. While it helps your baby’s brain develop, it will help you think more clearly, stay focused and help with pregnancy brain fog.
Pros
- Provides necessary DHA
- Easy to swallow and digest
Cons
- Not a multi-vitamin
- Some fishy after taste
Vitafusion Prenatal Gummy Vitamins
Features
This is the best prenatal vitamin for pregnancy for women who cannot swallow pills. If you discover that once you got pregnant you could no longer swallow pills, you are not alone. Most women struggle with this during pregnancy because their gag reflex becomes so sensitive.VitaFusion Prenatal Gummies solve this problem. Tasty gummies provide basic nutrients, plus DHA in an easy to chew tasty gummy.
Pros
- Affordable
- Chewable
- Tasty
Cons
- Contains little or no iron
- Contain little or no calcium
Mama Bird AM/PM Prenatal Multivitamin
Features
This is a great choice for moms who are concerned about animal by-products being used in their vitamins. Mama Bird is completely vegan while providing all of the basic nutrients you need during your pregnancy. This product contains Folate, not Folic Acid, and many mothers report that it is easy to swallow and digest.
Pros
- Vegan-friendly
- Affordable
Cons
- Does not contain iron
- Does not contain DHA
- Does not contain iodine
SmartyPants Prenatal Complete Daily Gummy Vitamins
Features
This is one of the best prenatal vitamins for pregnancy because of the high dose of easily absorbable Folate it contains. Folate is the naturally occurring form of Folic Acid, an essential nutrient to prevent birth defects.Smarty Pants are also great for moms who struggle to swallow pills. These great tasting gummies are easy to chew and digest.
Pros
- Folate instead of Folic Acid
- Easy to chew and digest
Cons
- Little to no iron
- Little to no calcium
- Dosage is six gummies per day.
Spring Valley – Prenatal
Features
This is a great choice as the best prenatal vitamin for pregnancy. It is budget friendly and contains all of the basic nutrients necessary before, during, and after pregnancy.
Pros
- Affordable
- Easy to swallow
Cons
- No DHA
The Verdict
Because so many women find taking their prenatal vitamins difficult, it is very important that the best prenatal vitamin for pregnancy be easy to swallow and digest. Swallowing is a huge challenge for many pregnant women. For this reason, Rainbow Light is probably going to be your best bet with prenatal vitamins.
This prenatal vitamin will give you the basic nutrients you need for your pregnancy in a small, easy-to-swallow pill. It is also affordable enough for most budgets.
Featured Image by Canidia Jupiter from Pixabay
