What to look for in a prenatal vitamin

Not all prenatal vitamins are created equal. The non-negotiables to look for: at least 400–600mcg of folate (look for methylfolate if you have an MTHFR gene variant), 27mg of iron, 1,000mg of calcium (often split across multiple pills for absorption), 600 IU of vitamin D, and ideally at least 200mg of DHA. Choline is increasingly recognized as critical for fetal brain development but is absent from most prenatals — aim to get it through diet (eggs are the richest source) or a separate supplement.

If your prenatal vitamin causes nausea, try taking it at night with food, switching to a gummy version, or asking your provider about alternatives. Starting at least one month before conception is ideal.