Less than 40% of Australian women meet the current recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake during pregnancy [2].

Keeping up with the task of nourishing your growing baby can be difficult, but luckily we have prenatal vitamins to help fill the gaps and promote the healthy development of your baby.

Read our full guide to prenatal vitamins to learn about their benefits, what to look for and top product recommendations; plus a bonus prenatal vitamin timeline, so you know when to take them!  

What Do Prenatal Vitamins Do? The Benefits of Prenatal Vitamins

High quality prenatal vitamins will fill nutritional gaps to ensure your body is ready to host and nourish a growing baby. Getting the right nutrients before and during pregnancy is associated with a higher likelihood of positive birth outcomes, including a lower risk of birth defects [2].

Not all prenatal vitamins are created equally: be sure to check the product label, and speak to your GP or midwife to determine what’s best for you.

Prenatal vitamins boast many benefits including:

For You:

1. Can alleviate morning sickness (vitamin B6)
2. Promote your immunity (vitamin D)
3. Can prevent anemia (iron)
4. Lower the risk of some pregnancy-related health conditions
5. Help to fill nutritional gaps to promote overall health and wellbeing
   

For Baby:

1. Promote the healthy development of the brain and spinal cord: folic acid is one of the main vitamins recommended to lower the risk of neural tube defects and help develop your baby’s nervous system 
2. Vitamin D promotes healthy bone growth in developing and breastfed infants, decreasing the chance of rickets 
3. Promote healthy development of skin, eyes, and vital organs
4. Iodine and vitamin B12 support healthy brain development in growing and breastfed babies
   
   

Best Prenatal Vitamins Australia

Do I Need Prenatal Vitamins if I Eat Healthy?

A healthy diet is the best way for you to get the nutrients you need, however:

Shoveling in your share of 5 serves of fruit and veg every day might be a bit tricky when all you want is salty ice cream.

Or if morning sickness takes all the fun out of broccoli.

Surveys show that less than 25% of pregnant mothers eat the recommended amount of vegetables and legumes per day [1]. Which means you and your baby may be missing out. Experiencing malnutrition during pregnancy is linked to poor health outcomes for the mother and their baby [4].

It’s about quality over quantity; you do not need to double your calories, but you do need to consume enough nutrients to share with your growing fetus.

Australian Dietary Guidelines for healthy eating during pregnancy highlight the importance of consuming enough of the right nutrients to help you and your baby thrive. If nutritional gaps exist, supplements can help to fill them. 

What to Look for in a Prenatal Vitamin

1. Iodine
   Most Australian adults have a mild iodine deficiency [4]. Official dietary advice recommends that pregnant women take 150mcg of iodine daily to support brain development of their baby in utero.
2. Folic acid
   Folic acid- AKA vitamin B9/ Folate -  supplements are recommended to women who are trying to conceive at doses of 400 mcg per day to reduce the risk of neural tube defects including spina bifida and anencephaly. It is advised to start taking a prenatal with folic acid 1-3 months prior to conception. 
3. Calcium
   Getting enough calcium can help your growing fetus to build healthy bones, teeth, nerves, and muscles. Calcium supplements are often recommended for those at a higher risk for developing preeclampsia around mid-way through their pregnancy.
4. Essential fatty acids
   Two omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, are essential for the development of the brain, nerves, and eye cells of your unborn child. 
5. Vitamin D
   This fat-soluble vitamin encourages the growth of baby teeth and bones by maintaining constant calcium and phosphorus levels. Sufficient vitamin D intake during pregnancy reduces the baby’s risk of rickets, irregular bone formation, and delayed physical development.
6. Iron
   Your iron needs will increase in your second and third trimester of pregnancy. Iron supplementation is often only recommended in cases of deficiency in order to prevent anemia. Those on a plant-based diet are likely to be recommended a supplement containing iron by their healthcare professional.
7. Vitamin B12
   People following a plant-based diet or who have gastrointestinal conditions may be recommended a B12 supplement during pregnancy and breastfeeding. B12 supports healthy brain development and the production of red blood cells in a developing fetus and breastfed infant.
   
   

When Should You Start Taking Prenatal Vitamins?

The best time to start your prenatal vitamin is as early as 3 months prior to conception; this gives you the opportunity to raise levels of key nutrients within your body and may even promote fertility [3].  For optimum levels of folic acid, healthcare professionals recommend a daily supplement containing folic acid at least one month prior to conception.

For those not tracking their cycle, a missed period may be the first sign of pregnancy. By this point you're already at week 5/6 gestation and a lot of fetal development has already occurred, including your baby’s neural tube that will later become their brain and spinal cord.

Check Out Our Prenatal Vitamin Timeline:

Is it Too Late to Start Taking Prenatal Vitamins?

It’s never too late!

The sooner you start taking a quality prenatal vitamin, the sooner you and your baby can start reaping the rewards. Starting prenatals at any time during pregnancy or breastfeeding is better than missing out altogether. Talk to your doctor or midwife for their prenatal vitamin recommendation.

Do Prenatal Vitamins Have Side Effects?

The most common side effect of taking a supplement containing iron is constipation; for this reason, only people with an iron deficiency may be recommended a prenatal containing iron.

Some people report feeling nauseous after taking a prenatal vitamin. This side effect is usually temporary and will cease as your body adjusts to the supplement.

Some people have reported an allergic reaction to certain pregnancy multivitamins; if a rash develops, tingling or itching sensation in the mouth, breathing difficulty or stomach pain, seek medical attention.

You should always consult your healthcare practitioner prior to beginning a prenatal supplement regime to determine which is right for you.

Summary

While a healthy diet is the best way to get the right nutrients during pregnancy, a prenatal vitamin can help fill nutritional gaps. 

Ensure your prenatal has iodine and folic acid at a minimum, and start taking them ideally 3 months prior to conception. 

Other nutritional deficiencies such as iron or calcium, may be determined by your healthcare professional and supplementation recommended where required.

References

[1] University of Sunshine Coast Australia, 2024. I’m Pregnant: Do I Need a Multivitamin? https://www.usc.edu.au/about/unisc-news/news-archive/2024/may/i-m-pregnant-do-i-need-a-multivitamin

[2] Nutrition and Dietetics: Journal of Dieticians Australia, 2022. Exploring the Diets of Mothers and Their Partners During Pregnancy. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1747-0080.12733

[3] Healthline, 2023. 11 Best Fertility Supplements According to a Dietician. https://www.healthline.com/health/fertility/fertility-vitamins#fa-qs

[4] Pregnancy, Birth and Baby, 2023. Vitamins and Supplements During Pregnancy. https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/vitamins-and-supplements-during-pregnancy