Wondering When to Start Taking Prenatal Multivitamins? Consider the 3-Month Rule

We probably don’t need to remind you that your nutrient needs will change throughout your life—and that includes during pregnancy.

Prenatal vitamins are specifically designed to lend nutrient support during pregnancy—a no-brainer, right? But for many pregnant women or women thinking about having a baby, the question isn’t whether to take prenatal vitamins—it’s when to start taking prenatal vitamins.

So when is the ideal time to introduce prenatal multivitamins into your regimen? Our rule of thumb: You should consider taking prenatal vitamins when you're thinking, trying, and when it's time. 3 months ahead of time is often a good benchmark to aim for. But let's dive in a little deeper, shall we?

Understanding nutritional needs during pregnancy

Women need a variety of nutrients in order to support pregnancy. And while it’s technically possible to fill those nutrient needs through a healthy diet, it can also be very difficult. Prenatal vitamins are designed to help fill nutritional gaps in a mother-to-be’s diet—which supports baby, as well.

In order to determine when to start taking prenatal vitamins, it’s important to understand what some of those nutrients are and the role they play.

Let’s talk about a few key examples:

Folate. Folate is a B Vitamin that helps support neural tube development during the early stages of pregnancy and is typically found in vegetables (like leafy greens), eggs, and legumes. Folate comes in various forms, including folic acid and MTHF.*

Iron. Iron needs increase during pregnancy.*

Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids (including DHA) help support brain and vision health and are typically found in foods like salmon, tuna, and shellfish.*

Choline. Choline is an important nutrient during pregnancy.*

When to start taking prenatal vitamins

Pregnancy can be hard to predict. It’s impossible to know whether it will take you a month or a year to get pregnant—and, often times, you may not know you’re actually pregnant until a few weeks later.

Because so much of a baby’s development happens during the early weeks of pregnancy, it’s important to start taking prenatal vitamins before you start trying to get pregnant—three months is a good rule of thumb.

Ritual’s Essential Prenatal

When you’re choosing a prenatal vitamin, you want to ensure it helps support nutrient needs for you throughout your pregnancy. Ritual’s Essential Prenatal was designed with 12 key nutrients (including folate, vitamin B12, vitamin D, DHA, iron, and choline)—no shady extras, and a fresh lemon-y scent, too.*

References:

1. Mayo Clinic. 2018, April 13. Prenatal vitamins: Why they matter, how to choose.