As an expecting parent, you wish your baby to have these traits — hearty, happy, and healthy. Basically, the old proverb will always be true: “Health is wealth." As future moms, aside from a safe delivery of the baby, we expect our kids to be the healthiest that they can be. And that starts by taking a pregnancy multivitamin.
What is a multivitamin?
A multivitamin is a dietary supplement composed of all or most of the vitamins that may not be available in a diet right away. This popular dietary supplement is a combination of different vitamins and minerals. Sometimes, they are mixed with other ingredients that are usually seen in foods and other natural sources.
Given these multivitamin facts, this all-in-one supplement is truly perfect for anyone. It is taken to treat or cure vitamin deficiencies due to sickness, pregnancy, nutrition lack, digestive infections, and other cases.
If you go to groceries, supermarkets, and drug stores, multivitamins take a lot of forms like tablets, capsules, chewable gummies, powders, and liquids. Depending on your preference, intake habit, condition, and doctor’s prescription, multivitamins can be solid or liquid.
Buying a pregnancy multivitamin? Check these 5 recommendations
Here are the most recommended pregnancy multivitamins by moms and doctors — all available either from Shopee or Lazada.
| Name |
Product features |
| Nature Made Prenatal Vitamins |
Folic acid, DHA |
| Nature’s Bounty Prenatal Vitamins |
Folate, Iodine, Omega-3s DHA and EPA |
| Nature’s Bounty, Super B-Complex with Folic Acid Plus Vitamin C |
Folic Acid, Vitamin C |
| Healthy Options Folic Acid |
Folic acid |
| Carlson Prenatal Multivitamins with DHA and Vitamin D3 |
DHA, Vitamin D3 |
Buying a pregnancy multivitamin? Check these 5 recommendations
 | Nature Made PRENATAL Multivamins Best Overall |  | View Details | Buy Now |
 | Nature’s Bounty Prenatal Vitamins | | View Details | Buy From Shopee |
 | Nature’s Bounty, Super B-Complex with Folic Acid Plus Vitamin C | | View Details | Buy From Shopee |
 | Healthy Options Folic Acid | | View Details | Buy From Shopee |
 | Carlson Prenatal Multivitamins with DHA and Vitamin D3 Best for omega-3 with DHA | | View Details | Buy From Lazada |
Containing folic acid (prevents birth defects) and DHA (helps on baby’s brain and eyes development), Prenatal Multivitamin + DHA can be taken by a lot of pregnant women to support the development of the baby’s brain, nervous system, bones and eyes.
For people who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, the Nature Made Prenatal Vitamins is best recommended by moms. They can also be taken postpartum.
Most customers found that they love Nature Made Prenatal Vitamins because of its ingredient list, it is easy to swallow, and they feel it’s a good choice overall.
Highlights:
- Clinically proven absorption of folic acid and iron.
- USP-tested for quality under strict manufacturing processes.
- Easy to use, only one softgel per day with a meal.
Nature’s Bounty® Prenatal is a high potency multivitamin and mineral supplement useful before, during, and after pregnancy. An intake of this vitamin supports a baby’s healthy growth and development.
According to reviews from moms, these have 800 mcg of folic acid, a decent amount before being pregnant. For your body to be prepared during pregnancy, it’s important to get enough folic acid.
For nearly 50 years, Nature’s Bounty’s products have been made together with scientific research and manufactured only with the best and purest ingredients. With their long-lasting reputation, this supplement is guaranteed to be true to its claims.
Highlights:
- Impressive ingredients list.
- Easy to swallow.
- Trusted for 50 years.
If you are pregnant, nursing, taking any medications or have any medical condition, consult your doctor before use. Discontinue use and consult your doctor if any adverse reactions occur.
Daily intake of Nature’s Bounty Super B-Complex aids in the conversion of food into energy, supports immune health, and is best for heart, immune and antioxidant support.
The key ingredient Vitamin B-Complex of this supplement is made up of several vitamins that work well together to improve heart and nervous system health conditions, while providing nourishment for the occasional stress of daily living.
In just one intake of a table a day, you already receive a range of B Vitamins, Vitamin C for heart, immune and antioxidant support.
Highlights:
- Only requires one intake a day.
- Coated for easy swallowing.
- Includes 100% of the daily value for folic acid.
Neural tube defects develop in the first 28 days after conception, before many women know they are pregnant. That’s why Healthy Options Folic Acid is best for pregnant moms — intake of this supplement reduces a woman’s risk of having a child with a brain or spinal cord birth defect.
In addition, an intake of Healthy Options Folic Acid provides the same folate with fortified cereals, dark green vegetables, and citrus fruits. If these are not part of your diet, Healthy Options Folic Acid is just enough for the folate you need during pregnancy.
Highlights:
- Promotes cardiovascular and red blood cell health.
- Bearable taste, has no after taste.
- Easy to use, only one softgel per day with a meal.
Beneficial before, during, and after pregnancy (while breastfeeding), this supports mom’s healthy heart and mood and baby’s healthy fetal brain and eye development through the addition of important Omega-3 DHA.
Our bodies can only make a small amount of DHA from other fatty acids, so you need to consume it directly from food or a supplement. And through Carlson Prenatal Multivitamins, you get enough DHA you need for your pregnancy.
Highlights:
- Potency and quality guaranteed.
- Promotes healthy heart and mental condition.
- Omega-3 DHA supports you and your baby before, during, and after pregnancy.
Benefits of multivitamins
According to Unilab, benefits of taking multivitamins daily include increased energy levels, improved mood, reduces stress and anxiety, improved short-term memory, and maintained muscle strength.
During your search for the best in the market, here are the most important vitamins that you should look for in a multivitamin:
- Vitamin:
- A: vision, healthy skin, and proper growth, and development
- B: energy levels, psychological wellbeing, and brain function
- C: antioxidant protection, skin health, and strengthening blood vessel walls
- D: healthy bones, immune function, and mood
- E: antioxidant protection, skin health, and circulation
- Folic acid: cell renewal, heart function, and prevention of neural tube birth defects
- Calcium: strong teeth and bones, and blood clotting
- Iron: maintaining healthy blood and muscle function
- Zinc: immunity, fertility, and skin
- Chromium: blood glucose levels
- Magnesium: muscle function and strong bones
As mentioned by WebMD, pregnant women like you should look for the following in a prenatal vitamin:
- 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid
- 400 IU of vitamin D
- 200 to 300 milligrams (mg) of calcium
- 70 mg of vitamin C
- 3 mg of thiamine
- 2 mg of riboflavin
- 20 mg of niacin
- 6 mcg of vitamin B12
- 10 mg of vitamin E
- 15 mg of zinc
- 17 mg of iron
- 150 micrograms of iodine
Before taking a multivitamin
Now that we have proven that taking a multivitamin is part of having a healthy lifestyle, it should be understood most especially for pregnant mommies like you that not all multivitamins work for all people. It may be the answer to a person’s nutrition gap or deficiency, but it should be taken with precaution and doctor’s advice.
Dosage is an important matter to consider in taking multivitamins. If taken in large doses, multivitamins can harm you and your baby. Always remember to follow the doctor’s prescription or the label indicated in the multivitamin packaging. Also, check yourself or with your doctor your medical conditions and allergies to check if the multivitamin works for you. High doses of some vitamins and minerals are appropriate for some people. Examples are people with vitamin deficiency. But then again, high doses can be harmful. Especially for pregnant women, high doses can impact not only the mother but the baby as well.
Most important reminder: a multivitamin differs when you have a baby in your tummy. Particularly if taken in huge quantities, some vitamins and minerals can hurt an unborn baby.
In this case, that is the perfect time for you to look for pregnancy multivitamin or prenatal vitamins!
Pregnancy multivitamin: what’s in it for a mommy and a baby?
Taking a pregnancy multivitamin is crucial during prenatal period — both for a mommy and a baby.
Prenatal vitamins are taken by a pregnant mother to give her body the nutrition she needs. Brought by the vitamins and minerals in a multvitamin, this is helpful for a baby during and after pregnancy. Aside from the best food and diet, a baby needs healthy intakes too! Through pregnancy multivitamins, you can easily do that without a sweat.
To add, it is popular for most pregnant women to be picky and particular with the food they eat. Sometimes, pregnant women forget to eat nutritious, well-balanced foods. This practice can be brought by nausea and other conditions like morning sickness and a hypersensitive nose.
In this situation, this is where pregnancy multivitamins come to the rescue. They also add needed nutrition on your entire body for you and your baby.
Healthy home for a healthy baby
Pregnancy is a gift for a family. Knowing that a newborn baby is on its way, all we need to do is to maintain a healthy household. For example, a healthy household starts by having a supply of fruits and vegetables in the table. Secondly, a sustained practice of drinking multivitamins is perfect for the two of you. Pursuing an even better and healthier lifestyle for the baby brings smiles to a family. Correspondingly, it is a priority to maintain a healthy household and make health your number one concern.
After all, health is a priceless wealth. Invest while you can. Drink a pregnancy multivitamin now.
