Best Pregnancy Supplements
Love this product. I wasn’t able to find any other prenatals that had no preservatives. I’ve tolerated them really well during pregnancy and highly recommend!
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After getting through half a bottle of their prenatal vitamins I found a bunch of vitamins towards the bottom that were all warped. When I emailed… Read more
them I kept getting a reply that would say someone would respond within 24 hours, of course It took them a few days to finally reply to me, they did give me a refund which was good but what I find alarming is their lack of care, they did not ask for a batch number there was no explanation for how this could of happened, no assurance that they would investigate and look into this. I was also concerned since I had taken half the bottle if it was safe? But there was no reassurance or advice from them personally just a generic email with the number for a poison line which I found more alarming.
I’m currently 12 weeks pregnant and concerned for my baby as I have been taking Kin since before I conceived. I went to the doctor about this and got a blood test, found out that I already have anemia, which I didn’t just a few months ago. The doctor found it a bit odd that I’m already anemic and that my iron levels came back good, she said that it’s likely caused from low folate or b12, I am getting retested for this. I’m quite alarmed to find out I could have low folate after taking kin for months and worry that I haven’t given my baby a good source of folate. I also come to find out that methylated folate is much less shelf stable than folic acid, so it’s concerning that I received a bunch of defective tablets with a likely unstable formula.
Also be aware they only contain 27.5mg per tablet of choline, when I questioned them about this, they didn’t really give me an answer as to why they have such a low amount, when the recommended amount for a pregnant woman is 440-450mg.
I’ve since found another prenatal naternal, they are third party tested, Australian made and contain 275mg of choline per tablet.
I am now wondering if I should report this incident to the TGA due to their lack of responsibility. I’m concerned about the safety of these tablets.
Have be having it for almost 6 months with pcos. I have seen significant changes in my body. My cycle is on time now and hopefully soon will have a baby aa well. Show details
I love this supplement, it has most of the nutrients covered for the off days when you can’t meet your nutrition requirements. It gives you a peace of mind. Show details
Ovitae Pre-Conception & Pregnancy Support
Excellent Product & Worked For Us – We used Ovitae for our first after struggling for a while and worked very well, all blood work was good. I have started using again as we are… Read more
looking at expanding the family. All I can say is it does work and the formulation is very good. Tablet size is a little large but that is to be expected with most pre natals that are worth anything.
Blackmores Pregnancy and Breast-Feeding Gold
Wouldn’t recommend this product as it has a low amount of iron in it, which has lead to me being iron deficient. I’m currently on my second pregnancy… Read more
and throughout my first I never had any issues with my iron levels whilst I was using Elevit which has 60mg of iron, however Blackmore has 5mg of iron. If you want to use this as a prenatal you will also need to take an iron supplement. I was recommended by my GP to switch to this brand as many women say it helps with morning sickness, however it personally didn’t help with nausea.
Blackmores Conceive Well Gold
Causes hormonal imbalance – I'm here because I need to know what's making me sick. So it's confirmed, then. After one packet, I had terrible diarrhea followed by period followed… Read more
by vomiting. It's like morning sickness without being pregnant. I had to stop taking it. Something is wrong. It clearly messes up with the hormones
Fefol Multi-Preg Liquid Cap
Iodine is so much more important for us that I thought! This product helped me get my period back ! – I have been struggling with ovulating and have had very irregular periods. Many times absent. My hormones have been out of place for many years and… Read more
since I came to Australia. It’s like food here is killing you unless it’s organic. Anyway. How can I possibly ovulate and have a normal period without the right nutrients. So I purchased these vitamins noticing they were the only ones with Iodine, which prompted me to learn more about it. Together with all the other vitamins and minerals included it was the perfect combination to have a healthy period! Finally it came !!! After taking these for 20 days in a row my period is here and I will continue taking them month after month while I’m also taking other essential steps to look after my health such as drinking more water. Switching to organic and more nutritious food, and starting to ride my bike again.
I am a midwife and a mum, and have been using Optivance Smoothies for 3 years now, mostly because I struggle to swallow tablets and as soon as I… Read more
became pregnant I could no longer tolerate my horse pill prenatal supplement, so I discovered Optivance. This was an incredible product through pregnancy as it encouraged to have a healthy smoothie for breakfast and I knew I was getting all the important supplements my body needed for pregnancy. I then bought the breastfeeding smoothie which I have been using for the last two years following the birth of my baby and even though I stopped breastfeeding when she was 18 months old, I kept using the breastfeeding smoothie as it helped to ensure I don’t become depleted while I’m sleep deprived and caring for a toddler. My toddler also started the toddler smoothies and she loves them so much that she asks for an Optivance smoothie most mornings for breakfast, it gives me a lot of relief knowing that even if she’s fussier throughout the day she’s having a really nutrient dense smoothie for breakfast. I am now in the conception phase of my second baby and am now back to the pre-conception and pregnancy smoothies, and I honestly don’t know what I would do without these products. Not to mention the Optivance customer service team are always so helpful, 10/10 products and company. I recommend this product to a lot of my pregnancy clients as a midwife, it’s excellent.
The best lube I have ever used – Use the big tube and the internal lube for about 2 months and fell pregnant after years of trying. Pretty expensive lube but worth it now we have fallen pregnant with a baby girl. Show details
Elevit
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This is my go to vitamin for pregnancy, breastfeeding or if I just have low iron. Make sure you take with food, I get sick if I take before or too long after food
So pleased to have found these – I tried a range of pregnancy multivitamins in my first trimester, but found them chalky and hard on my digestion. I happened across Herbs of Gold in… Read more
a health food store and was impressed by the spectrum of essential vitamins and supplements included. Since then, I have repeatedly ordered online as I'm so happy with them. I've felt energetic, healthy and haven't suffered from constipation since switching to this product... yay! I plan to keep taking once baby comes along to support my breastfeeding.
Fabfol
The best ! – I was on elevit when I first found out I was pregnant they made me feel soooooo sick. These tablets were a life saver they don’t make me feel nauseous or sick. Show details
Easy to swallow even with severe morning sickness – I had trouble keeping other supplements down, but these are nice little tablets that are easy to swallow. Reviewers who think that folate and folic… Read more
acid are different should go back to secondary school. Folic acid is a type of folate and it is metabolised in the same way as natural folate. Not dangerous at all, and best for your baby.
folic acid is not methylated – The folic acid in Nature's Own does not contain methylated folic acid so it is more difficult for the body to use it. Stress and other factors can… Read more
inhibit the bodies ability to use folic acid. I would recommend using folic acid that specifies methylated folic acid is included.
Easy to swallow – I'm not very good at swallowing pills, but these are so tiny I don't have any issues at all. Was perfect when taking during my first pregnancy, and I'm taking them now again in preparation for my second pregnancy.
Not as mild as marketed – Taste isn't very good, granted it's a herbal tea, however it did give me terrible reflux, and an awful trapped wind feeling in my belly. I found… Read more
while I was drinking it my baby was MORE fussy than he had ever been before and seemed to have alot of trapped wind also, since stopping drinking the tea my baby is once again very content and not seeming to struggle with wind. It was my only option to help increase milk supply at my local chemist. I wished I'd had some warning that this product may cause issues for baby and I and there isn't any warnings, infact the product label markets it as mild. Just thought other mums should proceed with some caution with this product and if they notice they're having a reaction to it then they shouldn't drink it because it's likely to have a negative affect on baby.
Menevit
Worked straight away! – My partner and I tried for a month with no luck. Decided to give these tablets a go and after a month on them we fell pregnant straight away. 100% recommend! Show details
I bought these Cenovis Iron plus tablets, in the Woman’s Health range, because i have a Ferratin level of 11, and hover around Anemic. However, after… Read more
researching the dose 5mg, i see they’re a total con, overpriced, massively undersized. I’d have to take 10 - 20 a day, to get a sensible dose, at 5mg, the recommended 1-2 a day will do absolutely nothing.
My new favourite Prenatal Vitamins – This is my third month taking these. I have taken them at the same time as the ovualtion support. they don't have any gross after tastes but I take them with milk so that may be why. they have the right amount of Folic Acid and myo inositol Show details
I started taking naternal Evernatal, Vitamin D Sol Drops and Iron Biotic after a missed miscarriage and trying to conceive for two years. After four… Read more
months of taking Naternal vitamins I fell pregnant! It is the first time my Iron levels have been in normal range and I am high in Vitamin D. I couldn’t recommend these vitamins highly enough and only wish I had discovered them sooner!
Pill is way to big to swallow – I’ve had too many people Complaining about the size of the pill. So I tried and agree, day one, day two and day three all Stick in my throat. 3rd day… Read more
being the worse as I had to drink warm water for it to dissolve in my throat to get it to go down. Good ingredients but won’t be using it until you use a softer capsule
Didn't work for me – Tried their hot chocolate product for a few weeks and found that it did not help increase my breastmilk output at all. The taste of the hot chocolate… Read more
itself is decent albeit the top ingredient being coconut sugar. Like others, my review on their website was deleted which I feel is pretty dishonest of them to do.
Made To Milk Lactation Drink Mixes – Overpriced and Not as Effective as Claimed After hearing a lot of buzz around Made To Milk lactation drink… Read more
mixes, I decided to give them a try, hoping they would help with my wife's milk supply. However, after consulting with a lactation consultant, I was really disappointed to learn that these drinks don't work the way they are marketed.
The lactation consultant explained that the drinks might seem to work, but only due to a technical loophole. These drink mixes are incredibly high in calories, which, in some cases, can help increase milk production simply because you're consuming more calories overall. This, however, has nothing to do with any magical lactation-boosting ingredients—it's just that the drinks are calorie-dense, similar to a rich hot chocolate or sugary beverage. If you're not getting enough calories, this could make a difference, but it's not because the product has any special ingredients to promote lactation.
At the end of the day, these drink mixes are really just expensive hot chocolate mixes with a fancy label. They're a quick fix if you need extra calories, but there's no evidence to suggest that they work in the way they're marketed. If you're hoping for a miracle lactation booster, you might want to look elsewhere—or just make a calorie-rich, homemade drink that’s much cheaper.
In short, if you’re just looking for something to add extra calories to your diet, these drinks may do the trick, but they’re certainly not the lactation miracle they’re made out to be.
What supplements should you take during pregnancy?
Pregnant women are often at the receiving end of unsolicited advice from friends and strangers alike. While it’s often well-meaning, it can overwhelm expectant mothers with information and make it difficult for them to cut through the noise and know what is actually important when it comes to their own health and that of their baby.
There are no specific supplements you “should” be taking, however they can aid your own health as well as the growth and development of your child. The truth is, every pregnancy is different, and whether certain supplements will actually benefit you can depend on a variety of factors.
If you are considering taking any supplements during pregnancy, consult with your doctor first to talk about your specific health requirements.
Antenatal (or prenatal) supplements will usually contain a combination of the following vitamins and minerals:
Folic acid (folate)
Folic acid (the synthetic form of folate) aids in the development of a foetus’ nervous system and helps protect against neural tube defects (including spina bifida), so pregnant women should ensure they’re getting enough of this important vitamin.
It’s generally recommended to take a daily folic acid supplement of 500 micrograms if you’re planning a pregnancy or are in your first 12 weeks of pregnancy. You should also eat foods high in folate - this includes green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, legumes and nuts.
Some women are at a higher risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect. This includes women who have already had a baby with a neural tube defect, women with a neural tube defect or close relative with the condition, those who take medication for seizures or epilepsy, and women who have type 1 diabetes.
If this is you, you may need a higher dose of folic acid, however higher doses must be taken under medical supervision.
Iron
The recommended daily intake of iron for pregnant women is 27mg per day (this is 9mg a day more than for women who aren’t pregnant). While this requirement increases, pregnant women don’t experience as much iron loss as they don’t menstruate.
It’s still important to eat iron-rich foods (such as red meat, seafood, beans, and fortified cereals), however having low iron levels during pregnancy is common, and so iron supplements may be needed. Often vegans, vegetarians, and teenagers (as they’re still growing themselves) who are pregnant greatly benefit from iron tablets.
If you decide to take iron supplements as well as a general antenatal supplement, it may be a good idea to take them at different times of the day. This is because iron absorption can be inhibited by nutrients commonly found in multivitamins, such as calcium and zinc.
Iodine
Iodine helps reduce the risk of a condition called cretinism in your baby, which causes a reduction in mental capacity and physical deformities or abnormalities.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women require more iodine, particularly during the first 20 weeks, and so it’s recommended to have 150 micrograms of iodine supplementation per day if you’re planning a pregnancy, pregnant, or breastfeeding. Foods that are iodine-rich include seafood, seaweed, eggs, meat, and dairy products.
If you’re iodine-deficient, your doctor may recommend supplementation prior to conception, as it can take up to 5 months of mineral supplementation for your body stores to return to a healthy level.
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D3 is vital for hormone and immune function and helps build and maintain healthy bones and teeth by assisting with calcium absorption for both you and your bub.
Since most of our vitamin D3 intake comes from the sun, women with darker skin, women who wear concealing clothing (for religious or personal reasons), and women who don’t spend much time outdoors may be at a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency.
A blood test can determine your vitamin D levels, and your doctor may recommend vitamin D3 supplements if these results are low.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids help with the development of your baby’s brain, vision, and nervous system. DHA is a particularly important omega-3 fatty acid that is marine-based, and so supplementation might be important if you don’t eat oily fish such as salmon or trout multiple times a week.
If, like many other pregnant women, you have an increased sensitivity to taste, you can find odourless fish oil to help you get your omega-3s without having to deal with a fishy aftertaste.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 helps the body absorb folate, promotes nervous system health, and aids the formation of DNA and red blood cells in your baby. Because it’s generally obtained from animal foods, including animal by-products (such as dairy and eggs), B12 supplementation may be particularly important for vegan and vegetarian expectant mothers.
B12 supplementation can benefit mothers during pregnancy as well as while they’re breastfeeding.
How about herbal supplements?
Some herbal supplements, such as red raspberry leaf and ginger root, are thought to be beneficial for the health of pregnant women and their babies. However, just because herbs are natural, doesn’t mean they’re necessarily safe to take.
Talk to your doctor about any herbal supplements you’re considering taking. Don’t assume that because your doctor gives you the OK to take a herbal supplement, that that means you can take other kinds of herbal supplements during pregnancy.
Tips for taking pregnancy supplements
- Ensure you take your supplements during meals to maximise absorption and reduce the chance that they’ll upset your stomach and cause nausea.
- Check the ingredients of multivitamins against supplementation your doctor has recommended, taking note of the dosage of each active ingredient. Keeping track of these can help you achieve a blood test result with healthy levels across the board.
- Don’t assume that more of a nutrient equals more health benefits. Some vitamins and supplements can be dangerous when taken in large amounts (such as vitamin A, vitamin B6, or vitamin C, to name a few), so ensure you seek medical advice before taking them.
- Sometimes the iron in antenatal vitamins can cause constipation. To prevent this, drink plenty of fluids, eat more fibre-rich foods, and ask your doctor about using a stool softener.
Are antenatal and postnatal vitamins the same?
Because many of the nutritional requirements are the same or similar between pregnancy stages, many pregnancy supplements are formulated to also accommodate the needs of women trying to conceive as well as new mothers in the postpartum stage. This eliminates the need for you to switch supplements between stages and start that whole new painful process of trial and error each time.
There are however supplements specifically for the postnatal period - these are often marketed as for breastfeeding mothers, as the nutrients are generally geared towards newborn development and sometimes contain ingredients that assist with the production of breast milk.
Certain herbs, such as fenugreek and fennel, are touted as helping with lactation and preventing hair loss, and are sometimes included as ingredients in postnatal supplements for this reason. More often than not, the support for these ingredients is anecdotal rather than scientific - this isn’t necessarily a reason to steer clear of them, but as you should with anything you ingest, take hearsay with a grain of salt.
Commonly asked questions
When should I start taking pregnancy supplements?
Ideally, you should start taking pregnancy supplements before conceiving, when you start trying for a pregnancy. Of course, not all women who fall pregnant have the luxury of planning on their side, so discuss with your doctor as soon as you know you are pregnant so you can start taking any needed vitamins for early pregnancy as soon as you can.
How long should I take antenatal vitamins for after delivery?
Generally speaking, you can continue to take your antenatal or postnatal supplements for at least 6 months postpartum to replenish and maintain your nutrient stores, or for the whole breastfeeding period if you are breastfeeding your baby. Check the packaging of your antenatal supplements to see whether they are also suitable to take after delivery.
Can certain vitamins and supplements help me conceive?
There’s no conclusive evidence that taking a certain supplement can help with conception, however there are plenty of men and women who swear that certain pre-pregnancy vitamins helped them get a positive pregnancy result. If you do decide to take fertility or preconception supplements, remember to not put all of your faith in a tablet.
The bottom line
Vitamins and supplements should never replace a healthy, balanced diet. You can’t out-supplement poor nutrition.
This article provides general information about taking supplements while pregnant. You and your doctor know your specific health requirements, and so you should discuss with them for individualised advice so you know what to try and what to bump.
Preconception, pregnancy, and the postpartum period can be a difficult time, particularly when you’re trying to navigate your body’s physical and emotional changes as well as meet its increased nutritional needs.
If you’re worried about not being able to find a pregnancy supplement that’s right for you, rest easy - it’s completely normal, and good things take time.