What Are Prenatal Vitamins?
Prenatal vitamins are supplements made for pregnant women to give their bodies the vitamins and minerals needed for a healthy pregnancy. Your doctor may suggest that you take them when you begin to plan for pregnancy, as well as while you’re pregnant. It’s also a good idea to take a prenatal vitamin to help cover any nutritional gaps in your diet.
What To Look For In Prenatal Vitamins
When Should I Start Taking A Prenatal Vitamin?
The folate in a prenatal vitamin taken before conception significantly reduces the chances of neural tube irregularities like spina bifida. That could happen before you even realize you’re pregnant. If you aren’t already taking a daily prenatal vitamin, start taking one as soon as you find out you’re expecting.
Your doctor might also recommend you continue to take prenatal vitamins after delivery, especially if you decide to breastfeed. How we chose the best prenatal vitamins Whether you’re looking for something that’ll stay put when morning sickness hits or you just want something that tastes good, here are 13 great options to consider. Pricing guide Most of these vitamins are packaged to contain 30 servings — about a month’s worth.
Best Prenatal Vitamins 2022
Plement designed to provide nutrients and minerals needed for a healthy pregnancy. A prenatal vitamin is important for pregnant people, as the growing fetus requires certain nutrients that can be hard to get through diet alone. “Fetal development is rapid and requires a lot of metabolism—it’s dependent on the proper amount of amino acids and nutrients,” says James Grifo, M.D., the program director at NYU Langone Fertility Center in New York City and chief executive physician at Inception Fertility.
Additionally, it recommends vitamins A, B6, B12, C and D, which provide benefits that range from promoting healthy skin and eyesight to the formation of red blood cells. For example, ACOG recommends pregnant people consume 600 micrograms of folic acid daily during pregnancy to help prevent brain and spinal birth defects. While some folic acid can be derived from foods like fortified cereals and leafy green vegetables, ACOG recommends supplementing with a prenatal vitamin to make sure you’re getting the recommended amoun.