Lifestage: Pregnancy

Once you know you’re pregnant, so many things start going through your mind: your diet, doctor or midwife appointments, lifestyle habits, exercise, and, of course, the health of your baby.

One thing that may need to be given more thought is the prenatal you choose to take while on this journey. Not all prenatal vitamins are created equal. Choosing a supplement may seem overwhelming, but by looking for one that includes these ingredients, you’ll feel confident about the choice you’ve made.

Methylfolate

Your doctor may recommend a supplement with folic acid. But, to get an active folate that the body can immediately use, look for methylfolate. It not only supports neurodevelopment for your baby (1, 2, 3), including visual, language, and memory skills (4), it also supports your body’s energy production (5, 6), brain’s processing speed (7), and memory. And it is needed for the synthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine (8), which affect sleep (9), cognitive function (10), and mood (11).

DHA

DHA is an omega 3 essential fatty acid that becomes incredibly important during pregnancy (12, 13). Without DHA, a baby's brain, spinal cord and eyes cannot develop properly (14), so it's vital that you get enough of the nutrient throughout pregnancy. It also boosts mom’s mood, sleep, and memory (15), (16, 17) —but our bodies don’t make it, so you have to take it. And, unfortunately, women must limit their consumption of fish during pregnancy. As a result, many women struggle to get the DHA they and their babies need through diet alone. The recommended amount by the March of Dimes is over 200 mg of DHA and many supplements don't even contain nearly that much.

Choline

Several studies have demonstrated the positive effects of prenatal and perinatal choline on neurodevelopment (18, 19). Like methylfolate, choline acts as a methyl donor and can change gene expression. This is so important because it means you can change your phenotype or gene expression through environmental factors, such as what you eat. And if you have the MTHFR gene variant, choline requirements are increased even more.

Probiotics

During pregnancy, your brain changes. Science has confirmed many women experience brain fog, slight memory issues, and more. But, by adding probiotics, you can support a healthy gut-brain connection. Your gut, through its gut microbe system, can influence your brain's function. Plus, with probiotics, you’ll get the added benefits of supporting digestion, healthy regularity, and immune system health (20).

Vitamin D

Along with vitamin D's more well-known benefits, like supporting immunity (21), (22), and helping to build healthy bones, it can also be supportive when on your pregnancy journey (23, 24). The vitamin D receptor is found in 900 genes in the human body, an appreciable part of the human genome. The brain is filled with vitamin D receptors and proteins that are turned on by vitamin D. It’s important to include vitamin D in your regimen while pregnant to support you and your baby’s needs.

Iron

Iron deficiency rates are highest for young women, infants, and children under the age of two years old. So, additional iron is needed more than ever in female growth stages, such as pregnancy. Without it, the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen to make energy. And it helps supprot red blood cell production (25), attention span (26), and your body’s immune response.

Looking for supplements with the above ingredients to support you on your journey? We’ve got you covered.