If you’re thinking about having a baby, or perhaps you are in the early stages of pregnancy, a prenatal vitamin is recommended as they help your body meet the demands of pregnancy and aid in your baby’s development.

Benefits of Prenatal Vitamins

Prenatal supplements help to fill the nutritional gaps and make sure there is abundant supply of the vital nutrients to facilitate a healthy pregnancy and the creation of a healthy baby. Prenatal supplements are complementary to a healthy, balanced diet. Unfortunately, even in a well-balanced diet that is rich in nutrients, deficiencies are common. Not only do prenatal supplements help the growth of the baby, but they can reduce the occurrence of nausea, reduce the risk of birth defects, and help prevent a preterm birth.

Choosing a prenatal vitamin

Not all prenatal supplements are made equally. The two key things you want to consider when choosing the right prenatal are the ingredients and dosage. Good quality prenatal supplements contain high quality ingredients. Unfortunately, majority of the over-the-counter supplements contain the inactive forms of vitamins. This is a problem because not everyone is able to convert these inactive vitamins into their active, working form. So, it is vital you choose a prenatal supplement that contains active ingredients to ensure you get the ingredients needed. It is also important to find a prenatal supplement that has no added sweeteners, additives, or preservatives.

Another important thing to consider when choosing a prenatal is the dosage. Dosage plays a big role in if you are going to see gain any benefit from the supplement or not. We need a certain amount of each vitamin to have a therapeutic effect on the body. This is important to look for as many over-the-counter supplements may have the correct dosage of one nutrient, but not nearly enough of the others. Plus, they might not contain the active form!

Important ingredients to look for in prenatal vitamins

Folate

Folate has been extensively studied for reducing the risk of spinal cord defects in pregnancy and has shown to support a healthy placenta. Always look for folate in its biologically active form 5-MTHF, not folic acid. Folic acid can be problematic for women with methylation issues.

Iron

The nutritional demands for iron during trimesters 2 & 3 increase considerably. Iron is required for the normal growth and development of the baby, and your ability to build healthy blood cells to deliver oxygen to you and your baby.

Some forms of iron can cause digestive upset, constipation and are not absorbed well. Look for iron bisgylicinate as it is the most bioavailable form of iron and well tolerated.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 supports energy levels and is also involved in DNA synthesis. The two forms to look for in supplements is methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin.

Choline

This important nutrient is required in huge amounts during pregnancy. Choline is a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine which is important for cognitive function.

Vitamin B6

Research shows that taking Vitamin B6 helps to relieve nausea and vomiting for some pregnant women. Look for the active form of Vitamin B6, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate.

Zinc

Getting enough zinc during pregnancy is important for your baby’s health and your own. Your baby needs zinc for cell growth and brain development. Research has also suggested that zinc may help to prevent preterm births.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential to support immune function, bone formation and healthy foetal development. Some research has found low vitamin D in pregnancy is associated with complications such as preeclampsia, low birthweight, gestational diabetes and increased incidence of autoimmune diseases. Testing your vitamin D is the best way to know the more appropriate dose for you.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is needed for tissue repair and wound healing, and it assists with the development of the baby’s bones and teeth. It also aids in the production of collagen, boosts the immune system, and improves the ability to absorb iron.

Magnesium

During pregnancy, the demand for magnesium increases. Magnesium helps to contribute to a healthy pregnancy and research suggests it can help reduce the occurrence of certain complications like preventing pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure) and low birth weight. Women also report it helps to relieve cramps, ease nausea, and improve sleep and stress.

Iodine

Iodine needs increase considerably during pregnancy. It is essential for the growth and development of the foetus and baby, and the development of the baby’s brain and central nervous system. It also contributes to the healthy development of the baby’s eyesight and hearing.

Selenium

Selenium’s antioxidant effects protect against oxidative stress. This vital antioxidant helps regulate your immune system and thyroid function.

Best Prenatal Vitamins

NaturoBest Prenatal Trimester One with Ginger

Clinically formulated by an experienced fertility naturopath. The Prenatal Trimester One Chewable is a 2-in-1 formulation, is a prenatal vitamin and mineral supplement designed specifically for the first trimester as well as a morning sickness relief formula. It covers all the unique nutritional needs for trimester one, whilst also providing ingredients that help to reduce the frequency and severity of nausea and vomiting. This formula provides the active forms of vitamins B2, B6, B12 and folate and is free from copper.

NaturoBest Prenatal Trimester 2 & 3 Plus Breastfeeding

As your baby grows and develops, so too does your demand for nutrients.  There is an increased demand of iron in the second and third trimesters. This is a stage in pregnancy when women are more likely to tolerate iron supplementation. Designed specifically for the increased demand of nutrients in the second half of pregnancy and breastfeeding. Prenatal Trimester 2 & 3 Plus Breastfeeding also contains 24mg of elemental iron as Ferrochel® in a daily dose, highly bioavailable iron bisglycinate. For best results, keep taking until breastfeeding has ceased.

MTHFR Group Prenatal Methyl

The MTHFR Group have created a MTHFR friendly prenatal vitamin. It is estimated that 40% of the population has an MTHFR gene mutation, which means they have limited ability to convert folic acid into the usable methylfolate form. This prenatal supplement provides a source of folate that doesn’t require enzymatic conversion before it can be used by the body. It also an ideal daily dose of 26 important nutrients for both the mother and baby including Vitamin B12, Iodine, Choline, CoQ10, Vitamin D, Calcium, Magnesium, and zinc.