When you’re expecting, meeting the increased nutrient demands is essential to support a healthy pregnancy and optimal fetal development. While prenatal vitamins are a key component of prenatal nutrition, they often fall short of providing everything you need. In fact, there is no standard formula for prenatal vitamins, and the options on the market can vary quite a bit. As a result, not all prenatal vitamins contain the same nutrients, and there are key prenatal nutrients your vitamin might be missing. As a pregnancy nutritionist, I’m sharing three essential nutrients your prenatal vitamin may be lacking and the foods where you can find them.

Iodine:

Iodine is essential for the production of thyroid hormones, which are particularly important during the first half of pregnancy when the baby is completely reliant on maternal thyroid hormones. Iodine can be found in iodized salt, kelp, seafood, and dairy products (1).

DHA:

DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, plays a key role in fetal brain and retina development (2). DHA is found in low-mercury, fatty fish like salmon and sardines. It’s recommended that pregnant women consume 8 to 12 oz of low-mercury, fatty fish per week to meet DHA needs (3).

Choline:

Choline is crucial for brain development, nervous system function, and gene expression. It may also help reduce the risk of neural tube defects. Eggs are one of the best dietary sources of choline, with two eggs meeting over half your daily needs. Choline can also be found in beef, poultry, fish, and dairy products (4). 

Meeting Nutrient Demands For Pregnancy:

A healthy pregnancy diet goes beyond a typical healthy diet and requires intentional food and supplement choices to meet the increased nutritional demands. Here are some strategies to help meet the increased nutrient needs of pregnancy:

• Add Variety To Your Diet: Incorporate a variety of different fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins, and healthy fats to obtain a variety of different nutrients in the diet.
• Seek Professional Guidance: Talk to your dietitian or doctor about your diet and supplement regimen to ensure your nutrient needs are met and address any shortfalls. Click here to learn more about my prenatal nutrition coaching program, Balanced Bump Method.

Conclusion:

While prenatal vitamins are a crucial part of a healthy pregnancy, they likely don’t provide everything that you and your baby need. Identifying missing nutrients and understanding how best to incorporate them into your diet and supplement regimen can support a healthy and nourished pregnancy.

My Top Prenatal Vitamin Choices

References:

1. “Office of Dietary Supplements – Iodine.” NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-HealthProfessional/. 
2. Mousa, Aya, et al. “Macronutrient and Micronutrient Intake during Pregnancy: An Overview of Recent Evidence.” Nutrients, vol. 11, no. 2, 2019, p. 443., https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11020443. 
3. “Office of Dietary Supplements – Omega-3 Fatty Acids.” NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-Consumer/. 
4. “Office of Dietary Supplements – Choline.” NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Choline-HealthProfessional/.