Vegan Prenatal Vitamins: Our Top 3 Recommendations
It is important to make sure that you are giving your body all of the nutrition that it requires when you are pregnant. And, if you are also a vegan, you likely want to select a prenatal vitamin which will help you meet all your nutrition goals while also making sure that the product you use is vegan.
Luckily, there are a few companies which have released prenatal vitamins without any animal products specifically for vegan women that are pregnant.
It is possible to have a healthy pregnancy while you are vegan or vegetarian, just make sure to check with your doctor and/or nutritionist to make sure your diet is healthy and balanced to supply your body with everything it needs for you and your growing baby. A prenatal supplement is a great addition to help meet all your needs and fill in the gaps, but it is also important to start with a baseline of a healthy diet to hit most of your targets.
Below, we will cover what ingredients are especially important for pregnant women, and let you know about some of our top prenatal supplement recommendations for vegans, as well as where you can buy them.
Read Related: Can Men Take Prenatal Vitamins?
What prenatal supplement ingredients are especially important for pregnant women?
Some of the ingredients in a prenatal supplement that are especially important for every pregnant woman, regardless of their chosen diet, are Folic Acid and Iron. Your body's need for these nutrients increases during pregnancy, making staying on top of your intake extra important.
Additionally, if you are vegan, you may want to make sure your multivitamin also contains some of the nutrients that are harder to get on a vegan diet, or that need to be supplemented even when you are not pregnant, like B12.
B12, vitamin D, and Omega-3 fatty acids are a few nutrients that are harder to come by in a vegan diet, so it is important to ensure a good source of these items through your supplement regimen.
Talk with your doctors to make sure that your chosen prenatal supplement is a good fit for your specific needs.
Our top vegan prenatal vitamin recommendations
Below, are a few vegan prenatal vitamins that may be a good fit for your vegan pregnancy. If you have a deficiency, or you need extra support for a specific nutrient, you may find that taking a few different supplements (like a multivitamin plus an additional Omega-3 supplement) may work the best for you. Work with your medical team to ensure that your supplement choices are appropriate for you.
PreNatal Nutrients by Pure Encapsulations is a good vegan prenatal vitamin that contains iron, B12, D3, and the active form of folic acid, 5-MTHF. Even though it is not listed as vegan on the bottle itself, the company states that it is vegan in the product description and on the website. The recommended amount is 2 capsules per day. You can purchase PreNatal Nutrients by Pure Encapsulations through Pharmedico Pharmacy: Here.
MyKind Organics Prenatal Multi by Garden of Life is also a good general vegan prenatal option. This supplement sources nutrients from food sources like fruits, vegetables, and herbs, and everything contained is organic. This multivitamin also contains a little ginger and peppermint to help settle the stomach if nausea is a common issue with your pregnancy. You can purchase MyKind Organics Prenatal Multi through Pharmedico Pharmacy: Here.
Finally, Vegan Prenatal DHA by Nordic Naturals may be a good vegan option for supplementing Omega-3s during your pregnancy. Instead of sourcing the Omega-3 fatty acids from fish, this supplement derives the Omega-3s from algae. Since the 2 multivitamins listen above do not include Omega-3s, this may be a good additive to a vegan prenatal multivitamin. You can purchase Vegan Prenatal DHA by Nordic Naturals from Pharmedico Pharmacy: Here.
Written by: Jill Barat, PharmD
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