When you're pregnant, it's important to keep a balanced diet. After all, a healthy diet means a healthy mother and ultimately, a healthy baby. Prenatal vitamins are a vital part of your pregnancy diet as they help to reduce the risk of problems with your baby's development. Plus, they can regulate your vitamin and mineral intake, helping you to have a healthy pregnancy.
To help you out, we've popped together a no-nonsense guide to the best pregnancy vitamins in the UK.
Which supplements are suitable for pregnant women?
A UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey reported that the following nutrients are lower than recommended in the diets of some UK women of childbearing age:
Vitamins A and D, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron, Iodine, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc, Selenium and Fibre
The survey also revealed that approximately 10 per cent of women are anaemic and, depending on the season, 10 to 40 per cent are deficient in vitamin D.
Lucy Upton, a Specialist Paediatric Dietitian and Nutritionist says: "Whilst there are many steps that pregnant women can take to increase their consumption and exposure to these key vitamins, minerals, and nutrients – such as adjusting their diet or increasing time spent safely in the sun outdoors – many pregnant women may still fall short of the required nutrients...
Whilst supplementation with some key nutrients – including folic acid and vitamin D – is recommended in the UK for all pregnant women, others may find it beneficial to take an additional supplement to help ensure they are getting enough of other vital nutrients."
Healthy Start Vitamins
Healthy Start is a government initiative, which gives eligable mums (with children under four) and pregnant women free vouchers every week to spend on milk, plain fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables, as well as infant formula milk. You can also get free vitamins.
Nutrients provided in Healthy Start Vitamins:
• 400µg folic acid
• 10µg vitamin D
• 70mg vitamin C
Healthy Start vitamins are suitable for all pregnant women and free to those eligible through the Healthy Start scheme.
The benefits:
Taking the daily recommended 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid before and during pregnancy can help prevent birth defects in the baby's brain and spinal cord.
• Vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which are needed to help keep bones, teeth, and muscles healthy.
• Vitamin C is essential for tissue repair, wound healing, bone growth and repair, and healthy skin.
• Vitamin C also helps your body fight infections and acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage.
• These vitamins are limited to CCGs where staff distribute it and are not available in retail outlets.
Folic Acid
Taking supplemented folic acid is suitable for all pregnant people. Folic acid helps the body make healthy red blood cells and is found in certain foods like sunflower seeds and sprouts. Folic acid is also suitable for men to take when trying to conceive.
Benefits:
• Taking the daily recommended 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid before and during pregnancy can help prevent neural tube defects.
•This vitamin is widely available in retail pharmacies, supermarkets and online.
Vitamin D
Depending on the brand, you will be taking 10-25µg of vitamin D in pregnancy.
The benefits:
• Vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which are needed to help keep bones, teeth, and muscles healthy.
• This vitamin is widely available in retail pharmacies, supermarkets and online.
Multi-vitamins and minerals
Nutrients provided:
• 10µg vitamin D
• B vitamins including 400µg of folic acid and vitamin B12
• Vitamins C, E and K Betacarotene (carotenoid forms of vitamin A)
• Iron, iodine, zinc, selenium, magnesium and copper
• Omega 3 fatty acids
Benefits:
• Iodine is critical for a woman’s healthy thyroid function during pregnancy.
• Iron helps blood in both the mother and baby as its function is to carry oxygen.
• This vitamin is widely available in retail pharmacies, supermarkets and online.
Multi-vitamins and minerals (including calcium)
Nutrients provided:
• 10µg vitamin D
• B vitamins including 400µg folic acid and Vitamin B12
• Vitamins C, E & K Betacarotene (carotenoid forms of vitamin A)
• Calcium
• Iron, iodine, zinc, selenium, magnesium and copper
• Omega 3 fatty acids
The benefits:
• Calcium is important for pregnant women. It can help prevent women from losing their own bone density as the baby uses calcium from the mother for its own bone growth.
• Iodine is critical for a woman’s healthy thyroid function during pregnancy.
• Iron helps blood in both the mother and baby as its function is to carry oxygen.
• This vitamin is widely available in retail pharmacies, supermarkets and online.
Lucy recommends only buying supplements from a reliable company with robust quality control i.e. brands on sale in pharmacies. Choosing a ‘pregnancy’ labelled vitamin and mineral supplement is essential. Preparations for the ‘general’ adult population are likely to contain vitamin A, which in large amounts can harm your unborn baby.
Pregnancy vitamins to buy
Description
One of the most popular prenatal supplement options out there, Pregnacare Original contains 19 vitamins and minerals including 400mcg folic acid and 10mcg vitamin D.
Review: "Product was delivered the next day, does exactly what it says on the box and would highly recommend during pregnancy as it contains all the vitamins needed."
Description
Containing 28 tablets in one pack with a handy blister pack with ‘days of the week’ guide, this multi-vitamin from Seven Seas contains 21 vitamins and minerals including Folic Acid, Iron, Vitamins C & D, Zinc and Calcium plus ginger extract which can help with morning sickness.
Review: "Seems to be working well. Easy to take and like the days being printed on the package, can easily tell if I have taken the pill for that day. Switched to these after taking stage 1 trying to conceive tablets from Seven Seas once we had a positive test and have continued to take them throughout my pregnancy for the added boost of vitamins."
www.boots.com
Description
If you want something simple, these tablets from Boots combine Folic Acid and Vitamin D together in one supplement, containing the recommended levels for all pregnant women. They are especially ideal if you struggle with large tablets as these are super small and easy to swallow.
Review: "Good quality, pills are not huge as some other brands. They are tiny and very easy to swallow. Also one pill per day is enough, some other brands tell you to take 3 per day which is more difficult. Price is perfect"
www.cultbeauty.co.uk
Description
If the idea of hard vitamins makes you feel ill, these gummies from Mama Mio could do just the trick. Created in collaboration with My Vitamins, these chewable supplements are packed with 8 essential pregnancy vitamins and minerals including folic acid to increase maternal folate status, and vitamins C and D3 for normal immune function.
Review: "I used these before and during my first pregnancy and am using again trying for baby number two. These were the only gummies on the market that I tried that were vegan and didn't make me feel sick! The taste is really lovely and so easy to take."
Meet the expert
Lucy Upton, an HCPC registered Specialist Paediatric Dietitian and Nutritionist at the Infant Toddler Forum, an independent, non-profit-making organisation, led by experts in pregnancy and early years nutrition and health.
A journalist since 2015, Emily Gilbert is the Features & Reviews Editor for Mother&Baby and has written for the website and previously the magazine for seven years. Emily writes about everything from the top baby products to pregnancy, fertility and maternal mental health. Specialising in product reviews, Emily is the first to know about all the exciting new releases in the parenting industry.