What your doctor didn’t tell you—the supplements you need for a healthy pregnancy
Now that you’re pregnant...
You're probably wondering, which supplements you should take including which prenatal brands are high quality.
Unfortunately, I hear the following story a lot from my pregnant clients and it still shocks me each and every time...
Conventional doctors and birth providers don't talk to their patients about which supplements to take outside of a prenatal and they rarely get into the details of that either. I'm disappointed that this is the norm for pregnancy care in the 21st century.
Here’s why I think this is happening...
The traditional medical model doesn’t prioritize spending time with patients. This is nothing new. We’ve all experienced this and it’s not necessarily our provider's fault but rather a broken medical system.
Many of the pregnancy recommendations are old and outdated (and some aren’t even based on reliable science). This is likely due to limited research because very few pregnant women are willing to be an experiment and risk their baby’s health for science… I wouldn’t, would you?
Finally, we have this notion that if we eat a healthy diet, we’ll get everything we need to grow a healthy baby. While this approach maaay work for some, it’s actually a lot more challenging than you think to consistently meet pregnancy nutrient goals and even more challenging if you’re nauseous, have food aversions, or are vegetarian or vegan, for example.
The supplements you need for a healthy pregnancy and why...
I’m a big believer in the concept of food first to meet your nutrient needs whenever possible, however, supplements offer you an insurance plan and help fill-in the gaps which most moms, including myself, want and need during this incredibly influential time.
1. Prenatal Vitamins
Cover your bases and get your “insurance policy” in place regardless of how healthy your diet may be because you still aren’t likely getting enough of what you need from food alone. And the research backs this up–a significant number of pregnant women are found to have low levels of vitamin D, E, folate, iron, magnesium, and zinc, specifically, compared to what’s recommended (and now we're learning that even the standard recommendations may be too low).
2. Omega-3 Fatty Acid
DHA/EPA - Omega-3s are essential for a healthy pregnancy and the growth and development of a healthy baby. There are three main forms of omega-3s and DHA is arguably the most important one during pregnancy. Adequate intake of DHA is needed for your baby’s brain and nervous system development, vision, and protection against inflammation. Reduced DHA has been associated with impaired cognitive and behavioral performance, and your DHA intake in the last trimester has been shown to contribute to your baby’s brain development even after they’re born into the first two years of life.
You can get all of your DHA from food but it requires that you eat 2-3 servings of cold water, fatty fish every week. The average mama doesn’t easily meet that goal or can’t consistently throughout their pregnancy due to various reasons (nausea, food aversions, etc.) so supplementing is necessary. For any vegans out there, DHA levels from algae (the only true vegan DHA source) vary too much and are not reliable, thus supplementation is recommended.
3. Vitamin D3
Vitamin D deficiency is really common during pregnancy and most prenatals contain inadequate amounts, if any at all. And did you know that 90% of our vitamin D actually comes from sun exposure leaving only 10% to our diet?
Vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes such as low birth weight, preterm birth, pre-eclampsia, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and gestational diabetes, as well as low vitamin D content in breastmilk after birth and postpartum depression.
Foods that naturally contain vitamin D are fairly limited however it is possible to meet the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin D, or get pretty dang close at least, but unfortunately research is showing that the RDA may not be set high enough to maintain normal vitamin D levels in most women throughout pregnancy.
4. Probiotics
Probiotics are the healthy gut bugs that live in your microbiome in your small and large intestines mostly. They contribute to your immune health, digestion, the processing of vital nutrients like certain B vitamins and vitamin K into usable forms, and so much more.
Probiotics from food and supplements have been shown to lower rates of preterm birth, pre-eclampsia, inflammation, excessive pregnancy weight gain, and improve blood sugar regulation and the risk for gestational diabetes in moms, as well as reduce the risk of having a large baby.
If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you may want to consider...
5. Collagen
If you're vegetarian or vegan, you may want to consider taking collagen to ensure you're getting enough glycine which is a conditionally essential nutrient during pregnancy.
You may be thinking... but collagen isn't vegetarian or vegan, it comes from bovine sources. Although this is true, some vegetarians and vegans are open to supplementing collagen during pregnancy considering all the benefits for you and your growing baby as well as it comes in a powder form and doesn't require eating meat per se. If you're open to this, it can be a very supportive nutrient during this important time.
However, if you're not open to getting glycine from a bovine source in the form of collagen supplementation, you can obtain glycine from food sources like sesame seeds and spirulina algae but the quantity needed is rather high and thus I recommend getting further support from a specialist to ensure you're meeting your needs.
Glycine supports the growth and development of your baby's bones, teeth, organs, hair, skin, and nails and helps you with your own expanding skin, uterus, placenta, and more.
6. Iron
Research shows that iron along with vitamin B12, choline, glycine, vitamin A, vitamin K2, DHA, and zinc can be challenging or even impossible to obtain from a vegetarian or vegan diet (and even for some meat-eaters too).
The good news is that many of these other nutrients can be found in a quality prenatal vitamin or in the other supplements listed above except for iron.
Although there are vegetarian and vegan food sources of iron, they come in a different form in food than what's needed and is poorly absorbed in the body.
Inadequate iron intake during pregnancy is a risk for many complications including preeclampsia, preterm birth, and hypothyroidism.
Recommended Brands
Prenatal Vitamins
Seeking Health Optimal Prenatal (capsule)
Needed Prenatal-Multi (powder)
Omega-3s/DHA
Nordic Naturals Vegan Prenatal DHA
Vitamin D3
Seeking Health Optimal Vitamin D Liquid
Probiotics
Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Probiotics
Collagen
Needed Prenatal Collagen Protein
For a full list and purchase options including "autoship" for subscription delivery, visit my Pregnancy Supplements page on Fullscript. Fullscript allows you to shop for different supplement brands in one place while purchasing directly from manufacturers which is not always the case, for example, on Amazon. This ensures the highest quality products and no imitations.
Please note these are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you make a purchase.
Nutrient Dense Foods for Pregnancy
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This content was developed solely for personal use and may not be distributed or reproduced for publication or for the personal or commercial use of others without permission. This content was created for informational purposes only. Results may vary and adherence to the suggestions made herein do not guarantee results.
Please note that this content is not medical advice, nor is it intended to replace medical advice. Before modifying your diet, you should seek advice from a licensed professional. Kellogg LLC is not responsible for any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the content.
