Pregnancy is demanding, period. And that couldn’t be any truer in terms of nutrition.
You are carrying a growing person, so naturally you will need to be as healthy as possible and ensure you are getting the recommended amount of vitamins and minerals essential for the growth and development of your baby.
During pregnancy, your daily nutritional requirements change and you need to increase your intake of a number of nutrients.
Because of advancements in nutritional science, we know the optimal levels of specific nutrients for pregnant women.
However, with the demands of daily life and the variation in nutritional content of different foods, pregnant women are advised to take a prenatal vitamin to ensure they are meeting the optimal intake.
A prenatal vitamin is a specially-derived supplement that provides a variety of vitamins and minerals to you and your little one to ensure proper fetal growth and development.
And for vegans and vegetarians, and for those concerned about vitamins containing toxic ingredients; finding a natural, organic, non GMO prenatal vitamin derived from natural foods sources is of primary concern.
Indeed, you will often hear complaints from moms-to-be that prenatal vitamins have caused nausea and digestive discomfort. Often such prenatals use capsule shells derived from animal products and contain artificial compounds.
If you know exactly what nutrients you should be looking for in a prenatal supplement, feel free to jump to the recommendations section.
But if you want to know more about the most important nutrients, read the next section on essential prenatal vitamin inclusions.
Essential Prenatal Vitamin Inclusions
The early stages of fetal development are critical, as insufficient nutrients, particularly folic acid, can cause neural tube defects.
Health specialists recommend taking a daily prenatal vitamin at least a month before trying to get pregnant. If you have not taken anything before conception, you should take it as soon as you find out you are expecting.
Folic Acid
Sufficient amounts of folic acid in the early developmental stages of a baby help prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
Prior to conceiving and up until 12 weeks of pregnancy, 400 micrograms of folic acid should be taken on a daily basis. You should also eat foods high in folate, which is folic acid’s natural form.
Iron
Iron is essential for blood formation, which is why you may suffer from anaemia if you are low on iron. Increase your iron intake by eating green leafy vegetables, lentils, beans, and nuts, and take a prenatal vitamin that can supplements for extra iron.
Vitamin D
Adults need 10 micrograms of Vitamin D every day. This vitamin is necessary for regulating the amount of calcium and phosphate, which are essential for healthy bones, teeth, and muscles.
The sun is the primary source of vitamin D for mankind, though it is obtainable through meat (not an option for vegans and vegetarians), some mushrooms and fortified foods.
However, most health providers recommend that we supplement for Vitamin D during the winter months, as most people do not get enough through diet.
If you are pregnant, you need to supplement for vitamin D, as your requirement is higher.
Iodine
Iodine is a naturally occurring element. Our body needs iodine for our thyroid gland to work properly. Iodine can be found in some foods like cranberries, potatoes, prunes, navy beans, strawberries.
But women’s bodies need more iodine when they are pregnant or nursing, so The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Thyroid Association (ATA) have recommended that pregnant women use prenatal supplements containing 150 mcg/day of iodine.
B12
Vitamin B12 is important for maintaining the health of your nervous system, but it’s also believed that when combined with folic acid during pregnancy, B12 supplements can help to prevent spina bifida and other spinal and central nervous system birth defects in your baby, too.
You're probably already taking a B12 supplement or eating B12 fortified foods, so you should continue to do that or make sure your prenatal vitamin contains the RDA of 2.2 mcg/day.
Best Vegan Prenatal Multivitamins
1. Sprigs Mama Bear Prenatal Vitamins
Made with whole foods, Sprigs Mama Bear Prenatal Vitamin is a herbal blend of all the nutrients necessary for expecting moms.
This non-GMO, gluten-free multivitamin supplement does not contain unnecessary fillers or sugar. Besides essential vitamins and minerals, each tablet also boasts ingredients such as red raspberry leaf and dandelion root, plus ginger to help fight morning sickness.
Sprigs also contains a trademarked ingredient named ConcenTraceAlfalfa, which is a blend of 72 trace minerals not typically found in other supplements.
Each bottle of Sprigs vegan prenatal vitamins contains 120 tablets.
- Folic Acid: 800 mcg
- Iron: 18 mg
- Vitamin D3: IU
- Vitamin B12: 25 mcg
- Iodine: 220 mcg
=> Click to Visit Sprigs Mama Bear
2. Deva Vegan Prenatal Multivitamin
Specifically tailored for pregnant women, Deva's Prenatal Multivitamin is a high-quality vegan supplement that helps provide both mom and baby with nutrients essential for growth and development.
One bottle of this multivitamin contains 90 coated tablets, and each tablet contains high amounts of folic acid and vitamin B12 for an expecting mom to achieve normal levels.
Other essential nutrients include vitamins A, B complex, C, D, E, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and selenium, among others, as well as chamomile leaf and acerola extracts.
Made only from natural ingredients and totally gelatine-free, Deva does not contain animal products or derivatives of any kind – perfect for vegan moms.
Adults are advised to take one tablet a day.
Each tablet contains the following essential prenatal nutrients:
- Folate: 550 mcg
- Iron: 21 mg
- Vitamin D2: 400 IU
- Vitamin B12: 100 mcg
- Iodine: 150 mcg
=> Click to Visit Deva Prenatal
3. Garden of Life Prenatal Multivitamin
Organically formulated for moms-to-be, this multivitamin is made from nutritious whole foods – over 30 powdered organic fruits, herbs, and vegetables.
Each pack contains either 90 or 180 tablets (depending on which you choose), with each tablet loaded with essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C, D3, E, K folate, B2, iron, and selenium, plus organic ginger and peppermint – good for fighting nausea.
The folate content is derived from organic broccoli, while the vitamin C cones from organic lemon.
Certified organic, vegan, and gluten-free, Garden of Life Prenatal does not contain synthetic ingredients, binders, or fillers. It is also non-GMO verified, so you can be sure you are giving your baby the best.
Each tablet contains the following essential prenatal nutrients:
- Folate: 800 mcg
- Iron: 18 mg
- Vitamin D3: 1000 IU
- Vitamin B12: 30 mcg
- Iodine: 150 mcg
=> Click to Visit Garden of Life Prenatal
4. Terra Nova Prenatal Multivitamin Complex
Developed for pregnant and lactating women, Terra Nova Prenatal Multivitamin Complex is intensified with magnifood, a highly active combination of botanicals and superfood. The magnifood complex is derived from organic plant sources such as kale, blackberry, pumpkin seed, etc.
This completely vegan multivitamin formulation does not include any fillers, binders, or additives. It also does not contain gelatine, sugar, wheat, or preservatives.
Each bottle contains 100 vegan/vegetarian capsules.
Two capsules contain the following essential prenatal nutrients:
- Folate: 400 ug
- Iron: 15 mg
- Vitamin D3: 10 ug
- Vitamin B12: 5 ug
- Iodine: 100 ug
=> Click to Visit Terra Nova Prenatal
5. Protea Wellness: Pregna Sense Supplement
Pregna Sense is vegan, but not just vegan. It contains only pure and active ingredients with no unnecessary fillers and binders.
A bottle of Pregna Sense has 120 easy-to-swallow, easily-absorbed capsules that can be taken as it is or mixed with water (if you have difficulty swallowing supplements).
The shell of Pregna Sense capsules is made of fruit and vegetable fibre. The recommended dose is two capsules a day.
Vegetarian and Kosher-approved, this prenatal supplement is free from artificial preservatives, gluten, lactose, and wheat. Each capsule is loaded with the necessary nutrients such as folic acid, vitamins D and E, and iron, among many others.
Each tablet contains the following essential prenatal nutrients:
- Folic Acid: 400 ug
- Iron: 6 mg
- Vitamin D3: 10 ug
- Vitamin B12: 2.8 ug
- Iodine: 100 ug
=> Click to Visit Protea Pregna Here
6. Nature’s Plus Vegan Prenatal Multivitamin
A comprehensive natural supplement, Nature’s Plus Source of Life Garden Prenatal has been developed to provide essential nutrients for moms-to-be in all stages of pregnancy.
Made from 35 organic whole foods, this non-GMO supplement provides a beneficial supply of botanicals, including cranberry, ginger, flax, and prune.
With Nature’s Plus, you can be sure that your baby is getting comprehensive nutrition that is free from gluten, pesticides, yeast, synthetic chemicals, and toxins.
One bottle contains 90 vegan tablets.
Each tablet contains the following:
- Folic Acid: 880 mcg
- Iron: 18 mg
- Vitamin D3: 1000 IU
- Vitamin B12: 35 mcg
- Iodine: N/A
Note that this supplement does not contain iodine, so you may choose to supplement with a kelp tablet instead, or increase your daily iodine intake through food.
=> Click to Visit Natures Plus
7. Veganicity Pregnancy Essentials
Another comprehensive prenatal multivitamin that covers the nutritional demands of both mom and baby is Veganicity Pregnancy Essentials. This powerful formula is packed with 25 key nutrients, including vitamins C, D, E, B complex, and K2, folic acid, and beta carotene.
A bottle of Veganicity Pregnancy Essentials contains 60 easy-to-take vegan tablets. This supplement does not gluten, lactose, sugar, wheat, or yeast and does not contain colorings.
The recommended dose is one to two tablets daily.
Each tablet contains the following essential prenatal nutrients:
- Folic Acid: 400 ug
- Iron: 10 mg
- Vitamin D3: 6.25 ug
- Vitamin B12: 100 ug
- Iodine: 50 ug
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