How to Pick the Best Prenatal Vitamin for a Healthy Pregnancy

POV: You’ve had a positive pregnancy test and are both excited and a little anxious. There are lots of changes on the horizon and you want to do everything to start off right! One of the first important decisions when you are newly pregnant (or for some of you, when you’re in your era of trying to conceive) is to begin with the correct nutrients to fuel your body and baby’s body in a healthy and balanced way. Cue… Prenatal vitamins! Prenatal vitamins are not meant to replace a nutritionally wholesome diet, but are extremely helpful as supplements to your lifestyle as a way to give you and your little one the right building blocks for the journey ahead.

Here are some of the most common questions that come up regarding prenatal vitamins.

Q: Can I just use my regular multivitamin?

No, you should switch to a prenatal specific vitamin for the pregnancy! While multivitamins have many of the same essential nutrients that are included in the prenatal vitamins, multivitamins are missing a few of the crucial components that your growing baby needs more of. Below is a list of some vitamins that are oftentimes at insufficient pregnancy dosing when taken as part of a regular multivitamin.

1. Folic acid: Folic acid is essential for the development of babies’ nervous system, specifically the neural tube. It is recommended to get at least 400 mcg folic acid daily. Depending on your family history and own personal medical history, you may be recommended to get a larger dose. Talk to your team about your correct dosing!

2. Elemental iron: Babies require iron to build their blood, and it is also very important for brain development. It also helps prevent anemia (when your blood iron levels are low and cannot keep up with the demand your body needs) in women as they enter their third trimester and are getting ready for delivery. Be sure to get at least 27 mg of elemental iron each day.

3. Vitamin D: Needed for your little one’s bone development. Shoot for 600 international units each day.

4. Choline: Needed for your baby’s brain. You should get 450 mg daily.

As a side note: please also do not just take 2 pills of a different multivitamin to try to get these values as too much of specific vitamins can be dangerous for you and your developing baby.

Q: When should I start taking prenatal vitamins?

The best time to start taking a prenatal vitamin is actually before you are even pregnant! Your little baby is already well on their way to early development in the first few weeks between ovulation and when you would have a positive pregnancy test (see details on this in our video titled What is my Due Date?). If you haven’t started yet, no worries, begin taking one now!

Q: What if prenatal vitamins make me nauseous?

Many times taking the prenatal vitamin each day can be a trigger when the first trimester nausea and vomiting is in full-force. Sometimes it can be helpful to take it at night, so you go to sleep before you get nauseated. Others find luck when taking their prenatal vitamin with food. You can also try to switch up the brand, try a gummy version, or try a version without iron. Be sure to let your team know if you switch, or if you are having trouble keeping them down so they can help make sure you are getting the nutrients you need. It will be important that they know if you stop taking one with iron so a plan can be in place on when to restart the iron when you start to feel better!

We hope this helps! Bring your vitamin bottle to your next visit with your care team, and they can help make sure you have the best option for your specific pregnancy! 

References: 

1. Allen, L.H. Micronutrients—Assessment, Requirements, Deficiencies, and Interventions. N. Engl. J. Med. 2025, 392, 1006–1016.

2. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Healthy Eating During Pregnancy. FAQ001. December 15, 2020. Updated January 13, 2026. Accessed February 9, 2026. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/healthy-eating-during-pregnancy.

3. Committee Opinion No. 495: Vitamin D: Screening and Supplementation During Pregnancy. Obstetrics & Gynecology 118(1):p 197-198, July 2011. | DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e318227f06b

4. Georgieff MK. Iron deficiency in pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2020 Oct;223(4):516-524. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.03.006. Epub 2020 Mar 14. PMID: 32184147; PMCID: PMC7492370.

5. Sangkhae V, Fisher AL, Ganz T, Nemeth E. Iron Homeostasis During Pregnancy: Maternal, Placental, and Fetal Regulatory Mechanisms. Annu Rev Nutr. 2023 Aug 21;43:279-300. doi: 10.1146/annurev-nutr-061021-030404. Epub 2023 May 30. PMID: 37253681; PMCID: PMC10723031.