A healthy diet provides most nutrients, but a few are hard to get from food alone in pregnancy. Folic acid is the most important.
Folic acid
Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, which develop in the first weeks of pregnancy, often before you know you are pregnant. The CDC recommends that everyone who could become pregnant takes 400 micrograms of folic acid every day. The NHS advises taking it from before conception until at least 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Who needs a higher dose?
Your doctor may prescribe a higher dose (usually 4 or 5 milligrams) if, for example, you or your partner have had a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect, you have diabetes, a BMI of 30 or more, or take certain epilepsy medicines. Ask your doctor before you start trying.
Other important nutrients
- Vitamin D: helps the baby’s bones. The NHS recommends 10 micrograms a day during pregnancy.
- Iron: your body needs more iron to make extra blood. ACOG recommends 27 mg a day, usually from a prenatal vitamin and diet.
- Iodine: important for the baby’s brain. ACOG recommends 220 micrograms a day from food and supplements.
- Calcium and omega-3 fats: mostly from dairy, fortified foods and low-mercury fish.
What to avoid
Do not take vitamin A (retinol) supplements or fish liver oil in pregnancy, because large amounts of vitamin A can harm the baby. Choose a supplement made for pregnancy, and check herbal products with your doctor.
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