Most women think they should start taking a prenatal vitamin after seeing a positive pregnancy test.
The reality? Some of the most important stages of your baby’s development occur before most women even know they're pregnant.
In fact, healthcare professionals recommend that all women of reproductive age who could become pregnant take a high-quality prenatal vitamin—even if they're not actively trying to conceive. Nutrients like folate, choline, iron, iodine, and selenium help support healthy hormone function, fertility, thyroid health, and the earliest stages of fetal development.
Whether you're preparing for pregnancy, actively trying to conceive, or already expecting, the nutrients you consume today help build the foundation for tomorrow.
And when it comes to prenatal supplements, not all prenatals are created equal.
Why Prenatal Nutrition Should Start 3–6 Months Before Pregnancy
Pregnancy doesn't begin with a positive pregnancy test.
It begins months earlier as your body prepares for ovulation, conception, implantation, and the rapid cellular growth that follows.
The nutrients stored in your body before conception play an important role in supporting:
Healthy ovulation
Hormone production
Egg quality
Thyroid function
Early placental development
Neural tube formation
Healthy fetal growth
One of the most important examples is folate.
The neural tube—which eventually becomes your baby’s brain and spinal cord—forms within the first month of pregnancy, often before a woman realizes she's pregnant. This is why healthcare providers recommend beginning prenatal supplementation at least three months before conception, with many fertility-focused practitioners recommending three to six months of nutritional preparation whenever possible.
Folate Helps Reduce Neural Tube Defects
One of the most well-established findings in prenatal nutrition is that adequate folate intake before conception and during early pregnancy significantly reduces the risk of neural tube defects, including spina bifida.
Because the neural tube develops within the first few weeks of pregnancy—often before a woman realizes she is pregnant—health professionals recommend starting a prenatal before conception whenever possible.
What this means: Waiting until a positive pregnancy test may mean missing one of the most important windows for folate support.
Reference: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommendations for the use of folic acid to reduce the number of cases of spina bifida and other neural tube defects. MMWR. 1992.”
Think of it this way: you wouldn't start training for a marathon the day of the race.
Pregnancy deserves the same thoughtful preparation.
The Most Important Nutrients for Fertility & Pregnancy
Folate: Building Baby's Brain & Spinal Cord
Folate is one of the most researched prenatal nutrients and for good reason.
Adequate folate intake before conception and during early pregnancy helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects and supports DNA synthesis, cell division, and rapid fetal growth.
Our Complete Prenatal Multi contains 1,000 mcg of methylfolate, the biologically active form that can be used directly by the body.
Choline: The Nutrient Most Women Are Missing
Despite growing research, choline remains one of the most overlooked prenatal nutrients. Research suggests adequate maternal choline intake supports:
-
Fetal brain development
-
Memory and cognitive function
-
Healthy neural development
-
Placental function
Yet studies consistently show that most pregnant women fail to meet their daily choline requirements.
Many prenatal vitamins contain little to no choline, forcing women to purchase an additional supplement.
Our Complete Prenatal Multi provides 300 mg of choline, helping bridge one of the biggest nutritional gaps seen during pregnancy.
Choline & Baby's Brain Development
Emerging research suggests that adequate maternal choline intake during pregnancy may support fetal brain development, memory formation, and cognitive function later in life. Despite its importance, studies suggest that most pregnant women do not meet recommended choline intake levels through diet alone.
What this means: Choline isn't just another nutrient on a label—it's one of the foundational building blocks for your baby's developing brain.
Reference: Caudill MA. Pre- and postnatal health: evidence of increased choline needs. Journal of the American Dietetic Association.”
Iron: Not Just About How Much—The Form Matters
Pregnancy dramatically increases iron requirements.
Iron supports:
- Healthy red blood cell production
- Oxygen delivery to mom and baby
- Maternal energy levels
- Placental development
- Expanding blood volume
Yet many women struggle with traditional prenatal iron because it causes constipation, nausea, stomach upset, or poor absorption.
Just as importantly, many prenatal vitamins use forms of iron that compete with other minerals for absorption.
That's why we chose liposomal iron pyrophosphate—a highly absorbable form that is gentle on digestion and designed to overcome one of the biggest challenges in prenatal nutrition: delivering meaningful iron support without sacrificing tolerability.
Iron Requirements Nearly Double During Pregnancy
Pregnancy dramatically increases the body's iron needs due to expanding blood volume, placental growth, and fetal development. Iron deficiency during pregnancy has been associated with fatigue, reduced exercise tolerance, and increased risk of anemia.
What this means: Iron isn't just about preventing low ferritin—it's essential for supporting maternal health and baby's growth.
Reference: World Health Organization. WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience.”
Iodine & Selenium: The Thyroid Support Duo
Your thyroid plays a critical role in fertility and pregnancy.
During pregnancy, thyroid hormones help support:
- Fetal brain development
- Neurological development
- Metabolism
- Maternal energy
- Healthy pregnancy outcomes
Adequate iodine intake is essential during pregnancy, while selenium supports healthy thyroid function and helps protect thyroid tissue from oxidative stress.
Together, these nutrients form an important foundation for maternal and fetal health. Our Complete Prenatal Multi provides:
• 250 mcg iodine
• 200 mcg selenium
Two nutrients commonly overlooked in many prenatal conversations.
Thyroid Health Matters More Than Most Women Realize
Thyroid hormones play a critical role in fetal brain and nervous system development, particularly during the first trimester when baby relies heavily on maternal thyroid hormone production. Adequate iodine and selenium intake are important nutritional factors that support healthy thyroid function throughout pregnancy.
What this means: Supporting your thyroid isn't just about mom's energy—it's also about supporting baby's healthy development.
Reference: Zimmermann MB. The importance of adequate iodine during pregnancy and infancy.”
Probiotics: Supporting Both Mom & Baby
The maternal microbiome is one of the most exciting areas of prenatal research. A healthy microbiome influences:
- Digestive health
- Immune function
- Metabolic health
- Blood sugar regulation
- Infant microbiome development
Emerging research has also explored specific probiotic strains for their potential role in supporting healthy pregnancy outcomes, reducing Group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization, and lowering the risk of eczema in offspring.
Our Complete Prenatal Multi includes clinically studied probiotic strains to support both maternal and infant health from the inside out.
Probiotics May Support Both Mom & Baby During Pregnancy
The maternal microbiome plays an important role in digestive health, immune function, and healthy pregnancy outcomes. Emerging research suggests certain probiotic strains may help support healthy Group B Streptococcus (GBS) levels during pregnancy, while other studies have found that maternal probiotic use may reduce the risk of eczema in children.
What this means: Supporting your microbiome during pregnancy may benefit both maternal health and your baby's developing immune system.
References:
• Ho M, et al. Oral Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 to reduce Group B Streptococcus colonization in pregnant women: A randomized controlled trial. Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2016.
• Wickens K, et al. A protective effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 against eczema in the first 2 years of life persists to age 11 years. Clinical & Experimental Allergy. 2018.”
What this means: Supporting your thyroid isn't just about mom's energy—it's also about supporting baby's healthy development.
Reference: Zimmermann MB. The importance of adequate iodine during pregnancy and infancy.”
Not All Prenatals Are Created Equal
Walk down any supplement aisle and you'll find dozens of prenatal vitamins. Unfortunately, many fall short in one or more critical areas.
Some contain:
The result? Many women find themselves piecing together multiple supplements just to fill the nutritional gaps.
Why So Many Women End Up Taking 4–5 Different Supplements
If you've ever stood in the supplement aisle staring at dozens of prenatal options, you're not alone.
Many women start with a prenatal vitamin only to discover later that it doesn't contain enough choline, doesn't provide probiotics, contains an iron form that causes digestive upset, or leaves them searching for additional thyroid support.
Before long, their routine looks something like:
That's often 10–12 capsules and tablets every single day.
For women already navigating morning sickness, food aversions, fatigue, and the mental load of pregnancy, remembering multiple supplements can feel overwhelming.
The truth is, taking a prenatal shouldn't feel like a full-time job.
Why We Designed a More Complete Prenatal
As Naturopathic Doctors and women, we saw the same challenge again and again.
Women were doing their best to support a healthy pregnancy, but they were often piecing together multiple products to get the nutrients they actually needed.
That's why we created HERdailys Complete Prenatal Multi.
A thoughtfully formulated daily drink designed to provide comprehensive support for fertility, pregnancy, and baby's development in one convenient serving.
Unlike many prenatal formulas, ours includes:
No giant capsules.
No unpleasant aftertaste.
No handfuls of pills.
No wondering if you're missing something important.
Just one easy-to-mix daily drink you'll actually look forward to taking. Because the best prenatal is the one you can take consistently.
Complete Prenatal Multi |
Typical Prenatal |
|
|---|---|---|
| Methylfolate |
1000 mcg
|
Sometimes
|
| Choline |
300 mg
|
Often missing
|
| Women's Probiotic |
Included
|
Rare
|
| Iron |
Liposomal Iron Pyrochosphate
|
Often less tolerated forms
|
| Throid Support |
Iodine + Selenium
|
Limited
|
| Digestive Comfort |
Gentle on Digestion
|
Variable
|
| Pill Burden |
One daily drink
|
Multiple capsules + add-ons
|
| Taste |
Delicious daily drink
|
Capsules or tablets
|
| Convenience |
All-in-one support
|
Multiple products required
|
| Compliance |
Easy to take consistently
|
Often challenging
|
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start taking a prenatal vitamin?
Can I take a prenatal if I'm not pregnant?
Does a prenatal vitamin help fertility?
Why is choline important during pregnancy?
What makes HERdailys different?
The Bottom Line
Preparing for pregnancy isn't something that starts after a positive test—it starts long before.
The right prenatal can help support fertility, healthy pregnancy, maternal wellness, thyroid health, and your baby's earliest stages of development.
And because not all prenatals are created equal, choosing one that contains meaningful amounts of choline, gentle and absorbable iron, thyroid-supportive nutrients, and clinically relevant probiotics can make a meaningful difference.
At HERdailys, we believe prenatal nutrition should be comprehensive, evidence-informed, and easy to take—because growing a baby is hard enough without having to manage 10–12 different supplements every day.
You already have enough to think about while preparing for pregnancy. Your prenatal shouldn't add to the mental load.
Whether you're trying to conceive, newly pregnant, or preparing for the months ahead, HERdailys Complete Prenatal Multi was designed to simplify your routine, support your health, and help you feel confident that both you and your baby are getting the nutrients you need—without the overwhelm.