Benefits of Taking Prenatals Before TTC

Originally published 11/05/2020. Updated for accuracy and relevancy on 08/12/2023.

Not trying to conceive right now, but wanting to increase your chances of getting pregnant? Learn the benefits of taking prenatals before trying to get pregnant.

By OBGYN and fertility expert Dr. Kenosha Gleaton

Prenatal nutrition has a significant impact on your overall pregnancy and health outcomes for both you and your baby. A prenatal vitamin is a dietary supplement that includes the key ingredients and essential vitamins you need to enhance your health. So, if you're starting to get the slightest case of baby fever, it's time to evaluate your diet and pre-pregnancy routine.

Should I Take Prenatals Before TTC?

Whether you're trying to conceive soon or a while down the road, a healthy diet with rich, key nutrients is a must for your body, and a prenatal vitamin supplement can help with that. While there are lots of women's daily vitamins on the market, prenatal vitamins are the only solid way to ensure you’re getting all of the vitamins and minerals that your body needs prior to conceiving. The general recommendation is for women of reproductive age to take a prenatal vitamin if they are not preventing pregnancy, planning to TTC in the near future, actively TTC, pregnant, or breastfeeding. [1] This recommendation stems from the fact that up to 50% of pregnancies in the United States are unintended. [1] Furthermore, many such pregnancies are unrecognized for the first four to six weeks—which represents a vital time for organ development, mainly the brain and spinal cord. [1] 

Does Taking Prenatals While Trying to Conceive Help?

Taking your prenatal vitamin won’t make you any more likely to get pregnant. While prenatal vitamins can support nutrition in a pregnant woman during the pregnancy experience or a woman TTC, it will not impact fertility itself. 

Prenatal vitamins will, however, make it significantly more likely that you experience a healthy pregnancy. They significantly reduce the likelihood of neural tube defects. Their use is also associated with a lower risk of miscarriage. [1] They are a key safety net in preventing pregnancy complications that result from nutrient deficits, such as low birth weight or premature birth. So, we recommend that you add prenatals into your TTC journey; these can include vitamins and fertility supplements such as iron, folate, or DHA supplements, but don’t expect them to be magic fertility pills.

How Long Should You Take Prenatal Vitamins Before TTC?

Although there is no clearly defined timeframe, ideally it’s best to start prenatal vitamins at least one month prior to trying to conceive.  [2] ACOG states that you should take a daily prenatal vitamin before pregnancy as well as throughout. [2] It’s easy to see the rationale behind this recommendation since prenatal vitamins contain all of the recommended daily vitamins and minerals you will need before, during, and after your pregnancy, including folate and iron. 

Benefits of Taking Prenatal Vitamins

Although studies do not support consuming prenatal vitamins for long periods of time when not intending to get pregnant, there is clear benefit to starting prior to actively TTC and of course before pregnancy. These benefits include [1-3]:

• Lower risk of miscarriage 
• Reduced nausea and vomiting when prenatal vitamins started before pregnancy
• Reduced birth defects

It's also clear how big of an impact pregnancy has on a woman's body. The baby is in need of key nutrients just as much as the mother. When a pregnant woman is not fueled up on all the nutrients needed, she may experience symptoms such as exhaustion. So, taking care of your body first with a prenatal supplement and essential vitamins is important for both you and the baby and encourages a healthy pregnancy.

Male Prenatal Vitamins

Prenatal vitamins don’t have to be just for women. Our prenatal for male fertility was designed with a urologist and male fertility nutrition specialist to address any nutrient deficiencies in men. After all, pregnancy does require both egg and sperm, and this multivitamin is great for getting in the key nutrients.

What To Look For In a Prenatal Vitamin

Not all vitamins are created equal. If you’re hoping to take a prenatal vitamin that will support your body well during pregnancy, make sure it includes all the necessary ingredients. 

Folate 

This is the one you’ve likely heard about. Folate is a B vitamin (B9) that provides significant protection against neural tube defects. [4] Neural tube defects are developmental abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord, including spina bifida and anencephaly. There are many different types of folates found in food, but the two most commonly found in dietary supplements are folic acid and 5-L-MTHF, abbreviated MTHF folate. We’ll delve into the difference between MTHF folate and folic acid later, but make sure that whatever prenatal you choose has at least one. Folate can also be found in dark leafy greens, lentils, beans, and legumes. Many foods where folate is not naturally found are fortified with folic acid, especially grains, which you can check on the nutritional info panel.

Iron 

Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, the protein that red blood cells use to transport oxygen. In your lungs, hemoglobin binds oxygen and carries it to all the tissues in your body, including a developing embryo via the placenta. The total amount of blood in a woman’s body will increase by 50% during pregnancy, so iron is in high demand. [4] If you feel more tired than usual, it could be because you’re iron deficient, also known as anemia. During pregnancy, doctors will routinely test for anemia by a simple blood test. Iron is found in its highest amounts in red meat (heme iron) but is also naturally present in plant-based sources like dark leafy greens, beans, and dried fruit (non-heme iron). Non-heme iron is best absorbed when eaten with a source of Vitamin C, like citrus fruits.

Calcium

Calcium is the mineral used to build your bones and teeth, and your baby’s, too. [4] Dairy, dark leafy greens, and calcium-fortified orange juice (check the nutritional label) are all good food-based sources of calcium.  

Vitamin D

Many nutrients are dependent on one another to function or be absorbed. Vitamin D and calcium have that kind of relationship—you can take as much calcium as you want, but your body won’t be able to absorb it properly without vitamin D. Fatty fish (like salmon) and vitamin D-fortified dairy are good sources. You also get vitamin D from spending time in the sun. Too much sun exposure—especially without protection from sunscreen or clothes—can lead to skin cancer, so if you want to sunbathe or go for a walk in the name of vitamin D, do so in moderation. As an alternative, a simple way to increase your vitamin D intake is to take vitamin D gummies or capsules.

DHA

This stands for docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that supports fetal brain and eye development. [4] It's an integral component of neuronal cell membranes, and supplementing with a DHA supplement is tied to the on-time attainment of key developmental milestones and infant problem-solving abilities. [5-6] It’s found in low-mercury fish and DHA-enriched orange juice, milk, and eggs.

Iodine

This mineral helps your baby’s organs and nervous system develop properly. It’s found in iodized salt (usually labeled as such) as well as dairy, fish, and iodine-fortified bread.

Choline

Most prenatals lack choline, but growing evidence of its benefits shows choline improves several pregnancy outcomes and protects against certain neural and metabolic disorders. [7] 

The bottom line is to stick with a prenatal that’s been researched and doctor-approved to ensure you’re getting the appropriate amount. You can read more about prenatal vitamins and their importance here.

How To Take Prenatal Vitamins

The benefits of prenatal vitamins are cumulative, so the most important factor is to take one daily and stay consistent. To ensure optimal benefits of your prenatal vitamins, we recommend a prenatal vitamin subscription, so you never have to worry about refills.. If you’re nausea-prone, it's often best to take them before bed. If you’re iron deficient, try taking your prenatal vitamin with a vitamin C beverage such as orange juice. Again, the most important thing is consistency. So if you’re having negative side effects, choose a prenatal vitamin free of starch, dairy, artificial coloring, preservatives, or flavoring, which can theoretically worsen unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms.

What Happens If You Take Prenatal Vitamins If You Aren’t Pregnant/TTC?

Although prenatal vitamins are a wonderful source of nutrients and minerals, they should not replace a multivitamin if you do not fall into one of these categories: women of reproductive age not preventing pregnancy, planning to TTC in the near future, actively TTC, pregnant, or breastfeeding (unless your healthcare provider has advised you otherwise). And while most of us want the benefit of beautiful hair, skin, and nails, these claims are unproven. Furthermore, long-term use of prenatal vitamins can lead to toxicity of iron and vitamin A, and can even mask certain GI conditions. Remember to always speak to your provider about your vitamin routine before adding or changing anything. 

In Conclusion

So, should you take prenatal vitamins when trying to conceive? Short answer: yes. Not only are they beneficial for getting enough nutrients and vitamins, but also for the health of both the baby and the carrier. [1-4] 

I know what you’re thinking. Most of us are looking to simplify our lives and taking a prenatal vitamin before actively TTC seems like an overachieving, unnecessary task. However, there are proven benefits of optimizing your nutritional status before destination pregnancy, including reducing the risk of miscarriage and birth defects. [2] 

In addition to prenatal vitamins, consider the benefits of Inositol Plus, which can help support ovarian and egg health while promoting healthy hormone levels. Studies have shown that inositol may help regulate menstrual cycles and improve ovulation, specifically in women with PCOS. [8] For additional support on your journey, explore Natalist supplements here or read more about pregnancy and nutrition on the Natalist blog. 

References:

1. Prepregnancy counseling. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 762. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Obstet Gynecol 2019;133:e78–89.
2. Good Health Before Pregnancy: Prepregnancy Care. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. FAQ 056. December 2021. URL. 
3. Morning Sickness: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy. FAQ 126. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. December 2021. URL. 
4. Nutrition During Pregnancy. FAQ 001. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. December 2021. URL. 
5. Hoffman DR, Boettcher JA, Diersen-Schade DA. Toward optimizing vision and cognition in term infants by dietary docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acid supplementation: a review of randomized controlled trials. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2009;81(2-3):151-158. doi:10.1016/j.plefa.2009.05.003
6. Braarud HC, Markhus MW, Skotheim S, et al. Maternal DHA Status during Pregnancy Has a Positive Impact on Infant Problem Solving: A Norwegian Prospective Observation Study. Nutrients. 2018;10(5):529. Published 2018 Apr 24. doi:10.3390/nu10050529
7. Korsmo HW, Jiang X, Caudill MA. Choline: Exploring the Growing Science on Its Benefits for Moms and Babies. Nutrients. 2019;11(8):1823. Published 2019 Aug 7. doi:10.3390/nu11081823
8. Pundir J, Psaroudakis D, Savnur P, et al. Inositol treatment of anovulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a meta-analysis of randomised trials. BJOG. 2018;125(3):299-308. doi:10.1111/1471-0528.14754