Prenatal Vitamins

The short answer is yes. You can take prenatal vitamins when you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or when you’re trying to get pregnant. In fact, because much of a baby’s development happens during the early weeks of pregnancy, most experts recommend taking prenatal multivitamins a few months before you start trying to get pregnant.

While prenatal vitamins are a type of multivitamin, they’re formulated specifically to support the nutritional needs of pregnant people. If you’re not pregnant or planning on getting pregnant, it’s best to check in with your doctor about your options and which multivitamins for women best fit your specific needs and lifestyle.

Prenatal vitamins, often referred to as simply “prenatals,” are multivitamins formulated specifically for women who are pregnant or trying to conceive. They help support the nutritional needs of the mother in addition to a healthy diet.

During pregnancy, the daily intake requirements for certain nutrients like folate, calcium and iron—all vital for proper fetal growth and development—increase. Prenatal vitamins for pregnancy help fill these changing needs for expecting women and their developing fetuses throughout each trimester and during breastfeeding.*

The benefits of prenatal vitamins are pretty straightforward. When you’re pregnant or nursing, your body’s nutritional demands change, and it can be hard to get all the nutrients your body—and your baby’s—need to thrive from food alone. Prenatal vitamins are formulated to provide specific nutritional support for a healthy pregnancy and fetal development, as well as during the breastfeeding phase.

Rainbow Light prenatal vitamins, for example, provide 100% or more of the daily recommended amounts of 18 essential vitamins and minerals. The formula promotes healthy brain and neural tube development for babies during the early stages of pregnancy and offers comprehensive support for moms before, during and after pregnancy.*

Finding a formula that supports essential nutritional needs before and during pregnancy is the most important thing when choosing a prenatal. We recommend talking to your doctor for guidance and reading supplement facts labels on products to see which nutrients—and how much of them—are included per serving.

Folate or folic acid (vitamin B9), iron, iodine and vitamin D are a few of the key vitamins and minerals to look for in a prenatal supplement. Scroll up to see a more comprehensive list.*

Taking prenatal vitamins before, during and after your pregnancy is a good way to help ensure you’re meeting your body’s nutritional needs at every stage.

Prenatals are made to replace any other multivitamins or gummy multivitamins you’ve been taking prior to trying to conceive (or getting pregnant). The ideal time to start a prenatal routine is a few months before actively trying to get pregnant to help build a solid nutritional foundation. If you get pregnant, you can keep taking prenatal vitamins throughout each trimester. And like pregnancy, breastfeeding places extra nutritional demands on your body—so it’s a good idea to continue your prenatal vitamin routine postpartum if you’re nursing.*

Prenatal vitamins are a type of multivitamin that contain specific levels of vitamins and minerals to support the growth of a baby in the womb and the changing nutritional needs of the pregnant mother. We strongly encourage customers to consult their doctor for guidance, but the general recommendation is to start taking prenatal vitamins regularly when you’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant.

The goal of taking prenatal vitamins, along with following a balanced diet, is to help support a healthy pregnancy and build a strong foundation for overall health and wellness throughout pregnancy, postpartum and nursing.*