In addition to a healthy diet, an appropriate vitamin intake is also highly recommended for pregnant women. During pregnancy, healthy food intake is necessary to ensure the fetus is in good health. On top of that, doctors will often recommend prenatal vitamins to not only pregnant women but also to couples who are planning a pregnancy.
Prenatal vitamins are supplements designed to provide the body with the vitamins and minerals needed for a healthy pregnancy, where the vitamins required at the various stages of an unborn baby’s development may differ.
Consuming the Best Prenatal Vitamins Is Vital for A Healthy Pregnancy
Prenatal vitamins are available in most pharmacies. Apart from choosing to follow the doctor’s prescription, you may also choose to consult the pharmacist on duty to recommend certain brands, since prenatal vitamins can be purchased without a doctor’s prescription.
A precaution to mothers is that they should only take the appropriate dosage of vitamins and check that these prenatal supplements contain folic acid, calcium, iodine and iron.
These are the reasons why consumption of the above-mentioned ingredients would be very beneficial:
- Consuming folic acid helps prevent birth defects of the nervous system that could adversely affect the baby’s brain and spinal cord
- An insufficient intake of calcium could decrease a mother’s bone density
- Consumption of iodine ensures a healthy thyroid function during pregnancy (while iodine deficiency could result in stunted growth, mental retardation and deafness)
- Sufficient iron is required for the mother to carry oxygen in the blood to its baby.
In addition, it is also extremely helpful to search for prenatal vitamins that contain vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin B, zinc and iodine.
Generally, it is best for you to avoid taking prenatal vitamins or multivitamins in excess as high doses of some vitamins may harm the unborn baby. For example, ingesting an excess amount of vitamin A during pregnancy could potentially cause harm to the baby.
5 Best Prenatal Vitamins in the Market
In addition to helping babies grow, studies show that consuming appropriate amounts of vitamins lowers the risk of the mother and the baby developing certain conditions.
Prenatal vitamins can help reduce the risk of nausea, birth defects and premature birth. These benefits are optimized when prenatal vitamins are started before fertilization.
With this in mind, let us take a look at the list of prenatal vitamins specially sourced out for you by us that are available in the market.
#1 Blackmores Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Gold
Why it’s Good:
A capsule of Blackmores Pregnancy & Breast-Feeding Gold provides a dose of 20 essential nutrients for mothers including folic acid, iodine and vitamin D3 with supportive nutrients for babies.
On top of containing omega-3 DHA to support the development of the baby’s brain and nervous system, Blackmores Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Gold capsules also contain iron that helps expectant mothers avoid the risk of constipation and tenderness in the digestive system.
Features we like:
- Contains 500 micrograms of folic acid, which if taken daily for a month before conception and during pregnancy, can reduce the risk of having a child with spina bifida/neural tube defects
- Contains 150 micrograms of iodine for a baby's brain development and hearing
- Has iron content that does not cause constipation
- Is odourless and contains concentrated fish oil that is rich in DHA for the development of the baby's brain and nervous system
#2 NATURELO Prenatal Multivitamin
Why it’s Good:
Naturelo prenatal multivitamins are designed to support a good and comfortable pregnancy and healthy fetal development.
This quality product contains plant-friendly vegetable vitamins and minerals and uses MTHFR-activated and friendly B vitamins such as Methyl Folate, B12 Methylcobalamin, and Vitamin B6 P-5-P for better bioavailability.
This product also contains premium chelated minerals such as iron, zinc and selenium which are easily absorbed by the body and are also comforting for the stomach.
Features we like:
- Contains folate, iron & DHA
- No GMO, soy or gluten
- Suitable for vegetarians
- No preservatives or flavorings
- GMP
#3 Puritan’s Pride Prenatal Vitamins
Why it’s Good:
Specially formulated to meet the specific nutritional needs of prenatal and postpartum women, this daily multivitamin contains 800 mcg of folic acid.
Consuming folic acid is important for pregnant women because a healthy diet with adequate folate can reduce the risk of their babies growing brain or spinal deformities.
Puritan's Pride Prenatal Vitamin Formula is a good source of calcium, which is one of the most important minerals in the body and is also a good source of Vitamin D which helps calcium absorption.
Features we like:
- Contains iron, an important component of haemoglobin that plays an important role in energy metabolism
- Can be continued after delivery and during breastfeeding
- No preservatives,
- Contains no sugar, milk, lactose, soy, gluten, wheat, yeast.
#4 Nature's Plus Ultra Prenatal
Why it’s Good:
Ultra Prenatal is a great choice for you as it has the right amount of vitamins needed for a healthy pregnancy and is very affordable.
It is formulated specifically to suit the unique nutritional needs of an expectant mother. This product is also suitable for vegetarians, is gluten-free and free of artificial colouring and preservatives.
Features we like:
- Is gluten-free and yeast-free
- Made with Women's Health Formula
- Suitable for vegetarians
#5 Nature Made Prenatal Multi+DHA
Why it’s Good:
Formulated to support the development of the baby's brain, nervous system, bones and eyes, Nature Made has been clinically proven to aid the absorption of iron and folic acid in the mother’s body.
Available in soft gel form, this product combines 18 essential prenatal multivitamin nutrients with 200 mg of DHA into one easy-to-swallow dose with no added colours or artificial flavours.
Features we like:
- Contains 18 key nutrients for pregnant mothers and women who want to get pregnant
- Contains 200 mg of DHA that can support the development of the fetal brain and eyes
- A healthy diet with adequate folate can reduce the risk of women having children with neurological defects
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