The Best Prenatal Supplements During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an exciting journey, and proper nutrition plays a critical role in supporting both maternal health and your baby’s development. In this guide, we explore the importance of prenatal supplements—from essential vitamins and minerals to specialized nutrients—to help bridge nutritional gaps and promote a healthy, vibrant pregnancy.

Whether you're planning to conceive or already expecting, understanding the benefits of these supplements, including what are the best prenatal vitamins available, can empower you to make informed decisions for you and your growing little one.

The best prenatal supplements during pregnancy

Taking supplements before you become pregnant prepares your body and your hormones for gestation. During pregnancy, it helps ensure that your body has all of the nutrients it needs to carry the baby to full term. Learn more about the best prenatal vitamins for a healthy pregnancy that we recommend below.

1. Fish oil

Fish oil supplements are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. These supplements have anti-inflammatory ingredients and regulate hormones, metabolism, and brain function.

Because it's rich in omega-3 fatty acids, it supports cardiovascular disease. This is essential for pregnant women because moms experience cardiovascular changes throughout their pregnancy.

As a result, they may experience heart rate changes and high blood pressure, also known as gestational hypertension. It typically changes within the first trimester and peaks by the fifth month of pregnancy. Pregnant women typically experience an increase in blood volume and cardiac output.

2. Prenatal vitamin

A prenatal vitamin often contains essential vitamins and minerals that play important roles in maternal and fetal health. A mother’s blood level of vitamins may decrease during pregnancy without taking a vitamin supplement.

Vitamin deficiencies in pregnancy may lead to anemia, depression, and hypertension for the expecting mother. A daily prenatal vitamin may support avoiding the fetus from developing asthma, heart defects, and poor development.

It has key vitamins like folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D3, B-complex vitamins, calcium, and zinc to ensure that both the pregnant mother and the developing fetus get their nutritional needs met. A good prenatal supplement may also help reduce the complications of pregnancy and minimize the risk of preterm birth.

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3. Iron

Daily iron supplements help with transporting oxygen and enhancing energy. Any healthcare provider will tell you it's common for a pregnant mother to experience fatigue. It takes a lot of energy to help a fetus grow, and in the days of early pregnancy, hormones are all over the place.

Iron deficiency occurs in an estimated 25% to 50% of the world’s population. Its occurrence can depend on aging, pregnancy, heavy menstrual periods, meat consumption, and poor digestive function.

Iron deficiency can lead to anemia. Symptoms of anemia include dizziness, nausea, fatigue, vomiting, and chest pain.

Too much iron supplementation may lead to adverse effects. If the blood’s iron level becomes too high, moms may experience preeclampsia, premature births, and fetal growth restriction.

That's why it's important to contact a healthcare provider or an obstetrician about taking an iron supplement. They may want to monitor your iron levels as you move through the pregnancy to ensure you're at an adequate level.

4. Probiotics

Pregnant women experience hormone changes throughout early pregnancy and as they carry the fetus to full term. Not only does the growth of their future child change their hormone levels, but it also changes their digestive functions and affects their immune system.

With a growing fetus, it's important to ask a healthcare provider about taking probiotics for women. Poor digestive function may prevent the absorption of key nutrients.

Probiotics may also help support gestational diabetes since they may lower glucose levels. Probiotics also work to potentially reduce inflammation and maintain a healthy immune system. Also, studies show a reduced risk for preeclampsia and obesity with probiotic supplementation.

5. Cal-Mag

The cal-mag prenatal supplement refers to calcium and magnesium. These are key nutrients for pregnant women because they help with the baby's development and health.

It promotes collagen production and the formation of bone tissue for the fetus. It also improves muscle function by regulating muscle contractions.

The fetus will need calcium and magnesium to grow healthy tissues, bones, and muscles.

Why are prenatal vitamins important?

Getting the right nutrients is essential at every stage of life, but it’s especially critical during pregnancy when both your body and your baby’s developing body require extra nourishment.

During pregnancy, the need for nutrients increases dramatically—not only for macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats but even more so for micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, and trace elements.

For instance, protein requirements rise significantly, making it important to include protein-rich foods in every meal and snack.

Likewise, key vitamins and minerals may not be sufficiently obtained through diet alone, particularly if you have nutrient deficiencies, dietary restrictions, or conditions like hyperemesis gravidarum that can hinder proper nutrient intake.

Prenatal vitamins help fill these nutritional gaps and are recommended by experts like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

They are designed to support fetal development, prevent birth defects like spina bifida by providing sufficient folic acid, and accommodate the heightened needs in cases of multiple pregnancies or genetic mutations like MTHFR that affect folate processing.

Incorporating the best prenatal vitamins into your daily routine ensures that both you and your baby receive the essential nutrients needed for a healthy pregnancy.

When to take prenatal supplements

The best time to start taking prenatal supplements is before conception. It’s generally a good idea for women of reproductive age to include a prenatal vitamin in their daily routine—even if you’re not planning on becoming pregnant in the near future.

This proactive approach ensures that your body is already equipped with the essential nutrients when pregnancy occurs. Prenatal vitamins themselves can’t help you get pregnant, but they do provide your body with the nutrition it needs to prepare for a healthy pregnancy.

This is especially important during the first month of pregnancy, when the baby's neural tube (which becomes the brain and spinal cord) begins to develop—often before you even know you're expecting.

Folic acid, in particular, should be started at least one month prior to conception to help prevent neural tube defects. Many healthcare providers recommend taking the best prenatal vitamins for pregnancy during this critical window to build a strong nutritional foundation.

Supplements to avoid during pregnancy

While many micronutrients and herbs are safe and beneficial when taken in appropriate amounts, certain supplements should be avoided or used with extreme caution during pregnancy. Always consult with your doctor before adding any supplements beyond your prenatal vitamins.

• Vitamin A: Although vital for fetal vision development and immune function, excess vitamin A is stored in the liver and can lead to toxicity and birth defects.
• Vitamin E: Extra supplementation with vitamin E has not been shown to improve outcomes and may increase the risk of abdominal pain and premature rupture of membranes.
• Black cohosh: This herb, used for controlling hot flashes and menstrual cramps, can cause uterine contractions and preterm labor, and has been linked to liver damage.
• Goldenseal: Containing berberine, goldenseal may worsen jaundice in infants and contribute to serious complications like kernicterus.
• Dong Quai: Popular in traditional Chinese medicine, dong quai may stimulate uterine contractions and elevate miscarriage risk.
• Yohimbe: Derived from tree bark, yohimbe is associated with dangerous side effects like high blood pressure, heart attacks, and seizures.
• Other unsafe herbal supplements: It’s best to avoid saw palmetto, tansy, red clover, angelica, yarrow, wormwood, blue cohosh, pennyroyal, ephedra, and mugwort during pregnancy.

Advantages and disadvantages of taking supplements during pregnancy

Recent breakthrough in prenatal nutrition

Recent research published in The Lancet Global Health in January 2025 offers groundbreaking insights into prenatal nutrition.

Led by Dongqing Wang of George Mason University, the study revealed that prenatal multiple micronutrient supplements can reduce the risk of adverse birth outcomes—like preterm birth, low birthweight, and small-for-gestational-age infants—by up to 27% compared to the traditional regimen of iron and folic acid alone.

This finding underscores the importance of a comprehensive nutrient profile in prenatal care and supports the shift toward the best prenatal vitamins that include a broader spectrum of essential nutrients.

By adopting these improved prenatal supplements, expectant mothers may significantly enhance their chances of having a healthier pregnancy and reducing risks for vulnerable newborns.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Final thoughts

A well-rounded prenatal supplement regimen should include not only the basics—like prenatal vitamins, fish oil, and iron—but also additional key nutrients such as folic acid, vitamin D, choline, and iodine.

To achieve optimal health during pregnancy, many women choose good prenatal vitamins and even explore options for the best pregnancy vitamins available, ensuring that they select the best prenatal vitamin that meets their specific needs.

Some experts even recommend the top prenatal vitamins as part of a comprehensive prenatal care plan. Remember, every pregnancy is unique, so always consult your healthcare provider for personalized recommendations regarding the best prenatals and the best pregnancy supplements.

By staying informed and proactive about your prenatal nutrition, you can help support a healthier pregnancy for you and your baby. Stay radiant, stay healthy, and embrace every step of this remarkable journey.

Source

• Vitamin A and Pregnancy: A Narrative Review
• Physiological Changes in Cardiovascular System during Normal Pregnancy: A Review
• 7 Things To Know About Omega-3 Fatty Acids | NCCIH
• Evidence based recommendations for an optimal prenatal supplement for women in the US: vitamins and related nutrients | Maternal Health, Neonatology and Perinatology
• The Benefits and Risks of Iron Supplementation in Pregnancy and Childhood - PMC
• Minerals in Pregnancy and Their Impact on Child Growth and Development