Prenatal Vitamins

Last Updated: March 12, 2024

Prenatal supplements, also known as prenatal vitamins, are frequently used by women before conception and throughout gestation. Their purpose is to guarantee that both the expectant mother and the developing fetus obtain the necessary quantity of vital nutrients. They usually contain folic acid, iron, and other micronutrients, but the composition varies from brand to brand.

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Prenatal Vitamins is most often used for

What are prenatal supplements?

Prenatal supplements, or prenatal vitamins, are taken by individuals before conception and during pregnancy to provide essential nutrients for both parent and child. They typically contain a combination of vitamins and minerals, and iron and folic acid are particularly recommended for proper fetal development and to prevent complications.

What risks are associated with micronutrient deficiencies during pregnancy?

Which vitamins should be included in a prenatal supplement?

Which minerals should be included in a prenatal supplement?

What are the main benefits of prenatal supplements?

Prenatal supplements, particularly those containing multiple micronutrients (MMN), can reduce the risk of low birth weight and small-for-gestational age infants and also lower the risk of stillbirth and the risk of diarrhea in children. However, the benefits of MMN (compared to iron and folic acid alone) may vary based on dietary intake and require further investigation in different income settings.

What are the main drawbacks of prenatal supplements?

Prenatal supplements are generally safe when taken as recommended, but exceeding the daily intake of certain vitamins and minerals (particularly vitamin A) can be harmful to the fetus and may cause birth defects. Additionally, some users may experience constipation, primarily due to iron content in the supplements.

How do prenatal supplements work?

Prenatal supplements consist of various vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that support maternal health and fetal growth through multiple mechanisms of action. The specific functions of each micronutrient can be explored in detail on their individual pages.

What are other names for Prenatal Vitamins?
Note that Prenatal Vitamins is also known as:
  • Maternity vitamins
  • Pregnancy supplements
  • Antenatal vitamins
  • Prenatal vitamins
  • Prenatal multivitamins
  • Gestational vitamins
  • Preconception vitamins
  • Maternal health supplements
  • Prenatal minerals and nutrients
  • Multiple-micronutrient supplements
Dosage information

The dosage of prenatal supplements can vary by brand, so it’s advisable to refer to the instructions provided on the manufacturer’s website or supplement package.

During pregnancy, it’s important to avoid exceeding the recommended dosage. Consuming certain vitamins and minerals in excess amounts may pose risks to the fetus.[1][2]

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Update History
2024-03-12 00:30:03

Full FAQ and database update

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We fully updated this page and have several brand-new FAQs about this topic.

References
  1. ^Gernand ADThe upper level: examining the risk of excess micronutrient intake in pregnancy from antenatal supplements.Ann N Y Acad Sci.(2019-May)
  2. ^Olson JM, Ameer MA, Goyal AVitamin A ToxicityStatPearls.(2023-01)
  3. ^Vitamin supplementation in pregnancy.Drug Ther Bull.(2016 Jul)
  4. ^Keats EC, Oh C, Chau T, Khalifa DS, Imdad A, Bhutta ZAEffects of vitamin and mineral supplementation during pregnancy on maternal, birth, child health and development outcomes in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review.Campbell Syst Rev.(2021-Jun)
  5. ^Keats EC, Haider BA, Tam E, Bhutta ZAMultiple-micronutrient supplementation for women during pregnancy.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.(2019-Mar-14)
  6. ^Gernand AD, Schulze KJ, Stewart CP, West KP, Christian PMicronutrient deficiencies in pregnancy worldwide: health effects and prevention.Nat Rev Endocrinol.(2016-May)
  7. ^Adams JB, Kirby JK, Sorensen JC, Pollard EL, Audhya TEvidence based recommendations for an optimal prenatal supplement for women in the US: vitamins and related nutrients.Matern Health Neonatol Perinatol.(2022-Jul-11)
  8. ^Bastos Maia S, Rolland Souza AS, Costa Caminha MF, Lins da Silva S, Callou Cruz RSBL, Carvalho Dos Santos C, Batista Filho MVitamin A and Pregnancy: A Narrative Review.Nutrients.(2019-Mar-22)
  9. ^Trottier M, Erebara A, Bozzo PTreating constipation during pregnancy.Can Fam Physician.(2012-Aug)
  10. ^Pharoah P, Buttfield IH, Hetzel BSNeurological damage to the fetus resulting from severe iodine deficiency during pregnancy.Int J Epidemiol.(2012-Jun)
  11. ^Rastogi MV, LaFranchi SHCongenital hypothyroidism.Orphanet J Rare Dis.(2010-Jun-10)
  12. ^Han X, Ding S, Lu J, Li YGlobal, regional, and national burdens of common micronutrient deficiencies from 1990 to 2019: A secondary trend analysis based on the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study.EClinicalMedicine.(2022-Feb)
  13. ^Karrar SA, Hong PLPreeclampsiaStatPearls.(2024-01)
  14. ^Sanam Behjat Sasan, Farnaz Zandvakili, Nasrin Soufizadeh, Elaheh BaybordiThe Effects of Vitamin D Supplement on Prevention of Recurrence of Preeclampsia in Pregnant Women with a History of PreeclampsiaObstet Gynecol Int.(2017)
  15. ^Kerry Richard, Olivia Holland, Kelly Landers, Jessica J Vanderlelie, Pierre Hofstee, James S M Cuffe, Anthony V PerkinsReview: Effects of maternal micronutrient supplementation on placental functionPlacenta.(2017 Jun)
  16. ^Adams JB, Sorenson JC, Pollard EL, Kirby JK, Audhya TEvidence-Based Recommendations for an Optimal Prenatal Supplement for Women in the U.S., Part Two: Minerals.Nutrients.(2021-May-28)
Examine Database References
  1. Infant Birth Weight - Keats EC, Oh C, Chau T, Khalifa DS, Imdad A, Bhutta ZAEffects of vitamin and mineral supplementation during pregnancy on maternal, birth, child health and development outcomes in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review.Campbell Syst Rev.(2021-Jun)
  2. Infant Birth Weight - Ramakrishnan U, Grant FK, Goldenberg T, Bui V, Imdad A, Bhutta ZAEffect of multiple micronutrient supplementation on pregnancy and infant outcomes: a systematic review.Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol.(2012-Jul)
  3. Autism Risk - Friel C, Leyland AH, Anderson JJ, Havdahl A, Borge T, Shimonovich M, Dundas RPrenatal Vitamins and the Risk of Offspring Autism Spectrum Disorder: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nutrients.(2021-Jul-26)