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What Prenatal Supplement Should You Choose?
- Tazmin Lewis
- Mar 15
- 6 min read
(This article contains affiliate links where I may earn a commission if you purchase thorough the link provided. This is at no additional cost to you! No brands have asked or paid to be included in this blog)
Choosing a prenatal supplement can feel overwhelming — with so many brands and bold marketing claims, it’s hard to know where to start. As a Prenatal Specialist Dietitian, one of the most common questions I am asked is “which is the best prenatal supplement – and do I really need one?”
Ultimately this comes down to your dietary intake, individual requirements and preferences. Some of my clients prefer taking individual supplements whilst other prefer to take an all in one multivitamin to support them to meet their needs.
In this blog, I’ll guide you through why you might consider a prenatal supplement, and key nutrients to look out for. If you are vegan or vegetarian, at risk of gestational diabetes, nutritional deficiencies or a high risk for preterm labour you may wish to get in touch for more personalised advice.
Why Take A Prenatal Multivitamin Supplement?
At a minimum, it's recommended that pregnant women take folic acid during the first trimester and vitamin D throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding. While it’s possible to meet your nutrient needs through diet alone, in reality it can be difficult meet these demands and research shows that many women struggle to do so.
For example UK data (NDNS) shows that many women of childbearing age fall short on crucial nutrients like folate, iodine, and iron. The NIPPER study also found that 90% of women trying to conceive had low or suboptimal levels of at least one key micronutrient — these included folate, B12, vitamin D, and B2. Notably, women who took a multivitamin during pregnancy had lower rates of deficiencies in the third trimester.
So, while supplements aren't a replacement for a healthy diet, they can help fill important gaps — especially when your body's nutrient demands are higher than usual.
Which Nutrients To Consider
Folic acid
Folic acid (the synthetic form of folate) is well-known for preventing neural tube defects (NTD). The recommendation is 400mcg daily for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Higher doses may be advised if you have diabetes, or a history of NTD.
Vitamin D
Essential for bone health and immune function, 10mcg (400 IU) daily of vitamin D is recommended throughout pregnancy and if you are breastfeeding. However, if you're at higher risk of deficiency (e.g., darker skin, higher BMI, covering skin when outdoors), you may need a higher dose such as 25mcg (1000 IU). Women who have gestational diabetes or a preterm both have been found to have higher rates of vitamin D deficiency.
Omega 3
Omega-3 fatty acids — especially DHA — are vital for your baby’s brain and eye development. Aim to eat oily fish (e.g., salmon, mackerel, anchovies) 1-2 times a week. If you don’t eat fish, an omega-3 supplement (algae-based if vegan) may be recommended.
Choline
A nutrient many haven’t heard of — but choline is crucial for neural tube and brain development, and helps transport DHA across the placenta. Yet, less than 12% of pregnant women meet daily choline needs, and most prenatal vitamins don’t contain enough - if any at all. Current daily recommendations is 450mg of choline during pregnancy and 550mg when breastfeeding. Dietary sources for choline include eggs, chicken, salmon, soya, broccoli and cauliflower.
Iron
Your iron needs increase during pregnancy to support your growing blood volume and baby’s oxygen supply. Iron deficiency is very common and linked to preterm birth and low birth weight. Even meat-eaters can become deficient, so it's important to ensure adequate dietary sources of iron or check if your prenatal contains iron. Food sources include red meat, eggs, fortified cereals, leafy greens, apricots, tofu.
Calcium
Important for baby’s bones and teeth. However, calcium can interfere with iron absorption, so some multivitamins leave it out. Focus on dietary sources like milk, yoghurt, calcium-set tofu, sardines, broccoli, and fortified plant milks.
Iodine
Iodine supports thyroid function and brain development — and is linked to higher IQ in children. Severe iodine deficiency during pregnancy can lead to learning difficulties for the unborn child later in life. In pregnancy, you need 200mcg daily (EFSA). Food sources include white fish (e.g., cod), and dairy.
Choosing Well-Absorbed Forms (Bioavailability)
Not all supplements are created equal — some forms are better absorbed and gentler on the gut.
Folic Acid: Some supplements use methylfolate over folic acid, which may be better absorbed, especially if you have an MTHFR gene variant. However, note that the evidence for preventing NTDs is based on folic acid, not methylfolate.
Vitamin B12: Look for methylcobalamin, the active form, for better absorption.
Iron: Iron bisglycinate is a gentler form that causes less constipation than ferrous sulphate or fumarate.
What About Fillers and Additives?
Some supplements include fillers, binders, and artificial colours to help form the tablet or extend shelf life and can be a cheaper method to make the supplement. While not always harmful, opting for formulations without unnecessary additives is often preferable — especially during pregnancy.
How Long Should You Take a Prenatal Supplement?
👉 Ideally, start 3 months before conceiving to build nutrient stores and improve chances of conception.
👉 Continue throughout pregnancy to support your growing baby.
👉 Postpartum, a supplement can help support recovery and replenish nutrient stores — especially if breastfeeding.
An Overview of Brands
Prenatal Multivitamin Supplement | Key Features |
High in vitamin D (25mcg) Gentle iron - bisglycinate (18mg) Contains iodine (150mcg) Methylated folate Moderate amount of choline (250mg) Vegan No fillers or binders | |
High in vitamin D (25mcg) High in gentle iron - (60mg) Contains iodine (150mcg) High in choline (450mg) Methylated folate Vegan No fillers or binders | |
Trimester specific options High in vitamin D (20mcg) Contains iodine (150mcg) No choline Methylated folate Vegan (apart from the omega 3) Contains Anti Caking Agent: Magnesium Stearate, silcia | |
High in vitamin D (25mcg) Contains iodine (150mcg) Gentle iron (FerronylTM 18mg ) Minimal choline (55mg) Methylated folate Vegan No fillers or binders | |
Standard vitamin D (10mcg) Contains iodine (150mcg) Gentle iron (20mg bisglycinate) Minimal choline (50mg) Methylated folate Vegan No fillers or binders | |
Standard vitamin D (10mcg) Contain iodine (150mcg) Gentle iron (17mg citrate) No choline Folic acid Vegetarian No filler or binders | |
Moderate vitamin D (15mcg) Contains iodine (150mcg) No choline Methylated folate Fillers and binders (Silicon Dioxide, Magnesium Stearate) Vegan |
Omega 3 Supplements
Brand | Key Features |
4 capsules provide 400mg DHA Derived from Pollock | |
2 capsules 400mg DHA 3rd party tested Vegan - algae derived Recyclable packaging materials | |
1 capsule 360mg DHA Derived from anchovies | |
2 capsule 440mg DHA 3rd party tested Derived from mackerel & sardines | |
2 capsules 440mg DHA Tested for no heavy metals Derived from sardines 3rd party tested |
Choline Supplements
Final Thoughts
By choosing the best prenatal supplement to fit your individual needs this can help fill in any gaps in your diet, to support you to meet your nutritional needs in pregnancy. I recommend that you be proactive where possible in preventing nutritional deficiencies and complications and this is where optimal nutrition can have a big impact to yours and your baby's health! Please remember to speak to your heath care provider before making dietary and supplement changes.
If you would like to get in touch for more personalised recommendations around supplementation and diet and lifestyle changes you can book a FREE discovery call with a Prenatal Specialist Dietitian here.
References
1. Godfrey KM, Titcombe P, El-Heis S, Albert BB, Tham EH, Barton SJ, Kenealy T, Chong MF, Nield H, Chong YS, Chan SY, Cutfield WS; NiPPeR Study Group. Maternal B-vitamin and vitamin D status before, during, and after pregnancy and the influence of supplementation preconception and during pregnancy: Prespecified secondary analysis of the NiPPeR double-blind randomized controlled trial. PLoS Med. 2023 Dec 5;20(12):e1004260. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004260. PMID: 38051700; PMCID: PMC10697591.
3. Jaiswal A, Dewani D, Reddy LS, Patel A. Choline Supplementation in Pregnancy: Current Evidence and Implications. Cureus. 2023 Nov 8;15(11):e48538. doi: 10.7759/cureus.48538. PMID: 38074049; PMCID: PMC10709661.
4. Caudill MA, Strupp BJ, Muscalu L, Nevins JEH, Canfield RL. Maternal choline supplementation during the third trimester of pregnancy improves infant information processing speed: a randomized, double-blind, controlled feeding study. FASEB J. 2018 Apr;32(4):2172-2180. doi: 10.1096/fj.201700692RR. Epub 2018 Jan 5. PMID: 29217669; PMCID: PMC6988845.
5. Nguyen HT, Oktayani PPI, Lee SD, Huang LC. Choline in pregnant women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Rev. 2025 Feb 1;83(2):e273-e289. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuae026. PMID: 38607338. Information correct as of 15.03.2025
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