There’s a lot to consider when choosing a prenatal vitamin. Different brands contain varying levels of nutrients, and some may even lack key nutrients that your body needs. Other factors include price, taste and aftertaste, dosage, and whether the vitamin is third-party tested for safety and product claims. 

Wading through all the pros and cons of the various options can be exhausting. To help make the decision a little easier for you, registered dietitian Stephanie Middleberg, MS, RD, CDN, author of The Big Book of Pregnancy Nutrition, conducted an evaluation of leading brands. Here’s what she found. 

Consult with your doctor to evaluate and discuss your specific nutritional requirements during and after pregnancy.

Jump to:

• Overall top pick
• Best budget option
• Best pack
• Best powder
• Best gummies
• Best for vegans
• Every vitamin evaluated: at a glance
• The evaluation criteria
• Frequently asked questions

Middleberg’s recommendations

Overall top pick: WeNatal

WeNatal was the only vitamin Middleberg evaluated that contains optimal levels of all necessary nutrients, including those that are often left out: vitamin D, iron, and choline. It’s packaged in just three pills that you take once daily. That may seem like a lot of pills, but it’s fewer than many other brands that provide fewer nutrients.

Price: $$$

Will I need an additional supplement?

Yes. Middleberg recommends an omega-3 supplement with both docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and an optional probiotic to support gut health. 

Also great: Needed Prenatal Multi Essentials

Best budget option: MegaFood Baby & Me 2

This prenatal vitamin contains bioavailable forms of all key nutrients except for magnesium and calcium. It includes both choline and iron but has lower than ideal levels of vitamin D. It tends to be well tolerated and can be taken on an empty stomach. 

Price: $

Will I need an additional supplement? 

Potentially. This prenatal only provides 600 IU of vitamin D and doesn’t contain magnesium or calcium. Middleberg recommends doing blood work and talking to your prenatal care team about whether you need added support. She also recommends taking an omega-3 (DHA and EPA) supplement and an optional probiotic for gut health. 

Best pack: Perelel Prenatal Packs

With this subscription service—also available as a one-time purchase—you take a daily pack of pills that includes your core prenatal vitamin, plus additional vitamins tailored to your current trimester. 

Perelel earns points with Middleberg for convenience—having specific nutrient packs delivered at different stages of your pregnancy takes out the guesswork. The packs contain sufficient levels of all of the essential prenatal nutrients, including vitamin D and iron. Unlike other prenatal vitamins, Perelel packs also contain omega-3s (DHA and EPA). Choline is included, but in lower levels than other supplements on the market and below the 300 milligram threshold Middleberg recommends. 

Price: $$

Will I need an additional supplement?

Probably not. Perelel Prenatal Packs will likely cover most of your bases, including DHA and EPA. Since they have lower than ideal levels of choline, you can either up your intake of choline-rich foods like eggs and liver or consider an additional choline supplement.

Important to note: Middleberg recommends taking the calcium and magnesium capsules provided in the second and third trimesters at a different time of day than the core prenatal, because the iron in the core prenatal competes for absorption with the calcium. 

Also great: Metagenics PlusOne Prenatal Daily Packs

Best powder: Needed Prenatal Multi Powder

If you struggle to take or keep down your prenatal pills, Middleberg highly recommends Needed Prenatal Multi Powder. Vitamin powders can be easier for your body to absorb and tolerate than capsules. 

Each serving of the Needed powder contains all of the core prenatal vitamins and minerals Middleberg recommends, except for iron. It also contains high levels of vitamin D and choline. 

Price: $$

Will I need an additional supplement? 

Needed Prenatal Multi Powder doesn’t contain iron or omega-3s (DHA and EPA), but you can purchase additional supplements along with the powder. Not everyone needs added iron, so be sure to get your bloodwork done and talk to your prenatal care team. You’ll also want to consider a probiotic supplement. 

Important to note: This powder needs to be taken with food.

Best gummies: SmartyPants Organic Prenatal Multi & Omegas 

According to Middleberg, gummy prenatal vitamins typically don’t contain optimal amounts of nutrients. But if you had to choose one, SmartyPants provides 19 key vitamins, plus vitamin D3 and methylated folate. 

Price: $

Will I need an additional supplement?

Yes. Like most gummies, these are relatively low in many nutrients, including B6, choline, zinc, vitamin C, and selenium. You may also need to take added iron, depending on your blood work and how you feel, along with omega-3s (DHA and EPA) and an optional probiotic.

Important to note: The taste is on the sweet side, and four gummies contain 7 grams of sugar. 

Also good: Seeking Health Prenatal Essentials Chewable

Best for vegans: Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Prenatal

This prenatal supplement contains a solid set of bioavailable nutrients, according to Middleberg. It includes selenium, zinc, iron, and probiotics, which many vegan options lack. But it’s missing calcium, magnesium, and choline, and its vitamin D3 levels are a bit lower than ideal. 

The dosage is three capsules taken at the same time. The capsules also can be opened to stir their contents into cool water or juice.

Price: $$

Will I need an additional supplement? 

Yes. It doesn’t contain choline or omega-3s (DHA and EPA), so you’ll need to prioritize those. 

You’ll also want to get blood work done once per trimester, if possible, to monitor your calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D3 levels. 

Also good: Sakara The Foundation: Prenatal

Every prenatal vitamin evaluated: at a glance

The evaluation criteria 

Middleberg assessed each prenatal vitamin according to the following:

Optimal and bioavailable nutrients: To assess optimal nutrition, Middleberg evaluated whether there were sufficient levels of iodine, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, magnesium, selenium, zinc, and B vitamins in their methylated forms, including folate. 

Inclusion of three essentials that are often missing or added at low levels: 

• Vitamin D3. The recommended daily amount (RDA) is 600 IUs. But this is an active area of research, and many experts believe that pregnant women may need 1,500 to 2,000 IUs per day. Some studies suggest an even higher intake—4,000 IUs—is optimal. The key is to get your vitamin D3 level tested regularly throughout your pregnancy, so you can be confident that you and your baby get what you need. 

• Iron. Your body’s iron needs increase from about 18 to 27 milligrams during pregnancy, peaking in the third trimester. Not all prenatals contain iron, as individual needs differ and some women experience side effects from iron supplements. Additionally, since iron and calcium compete for absorption in the body, some prenatal brands choose to leave out one or the other. 

• Choline. Middleberg recommends getting at least 300 milligrams of choline daily to support brain development and help prevent neural tube deficiency. Read more about this important nutrient here.

Exclusion of fillers and metals: This is particularly important during pregnancy, when safety is paramount.

Third-party verification: A seal of approval from a neutral product safety organization like the National Sanitation Foundation, U.S. Pharmacopeia, Clean Label Project, or consumerlab.com—signals that the manufacturer has met the standards of the certifying organization. Middleberg evaluated this based on what the manufacturers stated on their websites. 

Doses and capsules per day: Not everyone can consistently take vitamins three times a day. Be honest with yourself about what’s realistic and choose accordingly. 

Taste/GI side effects: Some pills can have an off-taste, bad smell, or GI side effects, according to available customer reviews.

Cost per month: The price of prenatal vitamins can add up. The products in this review ranged from $14 to $110 per month at the time of evaluation. 

Frequently asked questions 

What’s the best time of day to take prenatals?

Certain nutrients, like B vitamins, can be energizing, so many women prefer to take them in the morning. But if you struggle to keep your pills down, you may find them more tolerable later in the day. 

Experiment to see what works best for you. Whenever you take them, pair them with food to help with absorption and reduce the likelihood of digestive issues, like nausea and acid reflux.

When do I need to start taking them? And when should I stop?

Start taking your prenatals three to six months before trying to get pregnant or as soon as possible after learning you’re pregnant. Continue all the way through your pregnancy and postpartum. Plan to stop six months after your baby is born or six months after you stop nursing—whichever is latest. There are now postpartum supplements on the market that could be a good transition.

Are there any side effects? 

Common side effects include nausea, gas, acid reflux, and constipation. If you experience these, talk to your doctor or dietitian about switching to a different prenatal.

What about omega-3s (DHA and EPA)? 

Middleberg recommends taking omega-3s in a separate supplement because they tend to lose their effectiveness in a prenatal form. Look for a combined DHA/EPA supplement, ideally one that’s derived from fish oil, like WeNatal Omega DHA+. For a plant-based option, algae-based supplements are great—try Needed Omega3+ Vegan.

Why is magnesium in the list of necessary nutrients?

Magnesium is an underrated superstar. If you experience constipation, leg cramps, headaches, or trouble sleeping, you may benefit from getting more of this mineral. Start on the lower end of supplementation at around 120 milligrams. You can build up to 500 milligrams with your doctor’s supervision. There are four common forms:

• Magnesium glycinate is a highly bioavailable form and is easiest on the digestive system. It may help improve sleep and reduce anxiety and headaches. 
• Magnesium malate is absorbed well and may boost energy.
• Magnesium citrate is also absorbed well and specifically helps prevent constipation and leg cramps.
• Magnesium carbonate is typically not absorbed as well as other forms.

Why should you consider a probiotic?

Some research indicates that taking probiotics—especially in the third trimester of pregnancy—may reduce a child’s risk of developing some chronic immune diseases, like dermatitis, food allergies, asthma, and eczema. Probiotic supplementation may be an especially good idea if you have a history of antibiotic use, take antibiotics during your pregnancy or postpartum, or end up having a C-section.

Why do most supplements contain either iron or calcium?

Iron and calcium compete for absorption in the body, so it’s ideal to take these nutrients separately. 

Iron needs increase by 1.5 times during pregnancy, and more than 50% of expectant moms become anemic—especially in the second and third trimester. Sufficient amounts of iron are critical for postpartum recovery, and studies show a link between anemia and postpartum anxiety and depression. If you can, get your iron levels tested every trimester to see if you need more iron supplementation. 

Calcium needs don’t increase during pregnancy. If your prenatal vitamin contains iron but not calcium, that’s probably okay—but plan to double-check with your care team.

Meet the expert

Stephanie Middleberg, MS, RD, CDN, is the founder of Middleberg Nutrition and best-selling author of The Big Book of Pregnancy Nutrition, The Big Book of Organic Baby Food, and The Big Book of Organic Toddler Food.