Combination supplements

Prenatal vitamins: which one should you buy?

A prenatal vitamin covers folate, iron, iodine and vitamin D in one product. On the label, first check for folate 400–800 mcg, iron about 27 mg and iodine 150 mcg, and make sure vitamin A isn't high-dose retinol.

Folate (Folic Acid) on its ownIron on its ownOmega-3 on its ownVitamin D on its ownMultivitamin on its ownCholine on its ownIodine on its own

How to choose a combination supplement

  • Folate amount — 400–800 mcg a day (about 680–1,360 mcg DFE if the label uses DFE). The active form (5-MTHF) is nice, but regular folic acid works fine too. Don't go over 1,000 mcg including any separate folate you take
  • Iron amount — About 27 mg a day during pregnancy. 18 mg or less is too little, so you'd need extra; close to 45 mg is the upper limit, only if your doctor recommends it. With an iron-free gummy you'll need a separate iron supplement
  • Iodine — About 150 mcg a day (labels show 150–290 mcg). Big points off if there's none at all
  • Vitamin A form — Beta-carotene is safe. Not recommended if there's a lot of retinol (retinyl palmitate or acetate) — close to 3,000 mcg or 10,000 IU
  • DHA and choline — At least 200 mg DHA a day. 50 mg DHA in a gummy is a token amount. If the multivitamin has none, take a DHA product separately (DHA-only products are judged on DHA amount). Bonus points for 100 mg or more choline
  • Co-ingredients and hidden amounts — Flagged when calcium is in the same pill as iron, since they compete for absorption. Herb or fruit/vegetable blends with no amounts listed are only flagged if they're not the main ingredient. Gummies often leave out iron, B1 and minerals
  • Cost per day and label check — Cost per day = price ÷ count × daily serving (shown only, not used in the verdict). Products we could not verify in the NIH label database get 'Depends on your needs' at best. Star ratings, review counts and brand are not used in the verdict

Best Prenatal vitamins supplements on Amazon, compared

Bottom line

We checked the labels of 23 popular prenatal vitamins on Amazon: 4 recommended, 18 depend on your needs, 1 not recommended.

  • Best overall — NATURELO Prenatal Multivitamin with Choline & Folate: Active folate (5-MTHF), methyl B12, P5P, and iron 27 mg — meets the standard (Per serving: 3 capsules)
  • Best value — Nature Made Prenatal Multi + DHA 200 mg: Folate 800 mcg, iron 27 mg, iodine 150 mcg and DHA 200 mg all in one softgel (Per serving: 1 softgel)
  • More choline — MegaFood Baby & Me 2 Prenatal Multi: Active folate (5-MTHF) 600 mcg and choline 300 mg — the most choline of the group (Per serving: 2 tablets)
  • DHA add-on — Nordic Naturals Prenatal DHA, Unflavored: DHA 480 mg and EPA 205 mg in 2 softgels — well above the 200 mg DHA standard (Per serving: 2 softgels)
  • Gummy — vitafusion PreNatal Gummies (Folate & DHA): No iron, so you'll need it separately (Per serving: 2 gummies)

We checked the labels of popular Amazon products and rated them by the criteria above. Cost per day is relative — compared with other products of the same supplement. Check Amazon for the current price.

Best overallPrenatal Multivitamin with Choline & FolateNATURELO Best valuePrenatal Multi + DHA 200 mgNature Made More cholineBaby & Me 2 Prenatal MultiMegaFood DHA add-onPrenatal DHA, UnflavoredNordic Naturals GummyPreNatal Gummies (Folate & DHA)vitafusion

Recommended 4

RecommendedNATURELO

Prenatal Multivitamin with Choline & Folate

Capsule, active folate (5-MTHF), chelated minerals · Per serving: 3 capsules · Cost per day: average

Folate 800 mcg DFE (5-MTHF), iron 27 mg, iodine 290 mcg, choline 100 mg, D 800 IU, no DHA

  • Active folate (5-MTHF), methyl B12, P5P, and iron 27 mg — meets the standard
  • Also has iodine 290 mcg, choline 100 mg and K2 90 mcg
  • Vitamin A is beta-carotene, so no retinol worries
  • Calcium 255 mg and magnesium 200 mg are in the same 3 capsules as iron — best to split morning and evening
  • No DHA, so you'll need it separately

People who want active folate and choline in one, and will take DHA separately. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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RecommendedNature Made

Prenatal Multi + DHA 200 mg

Softgel, folic acid, ferrous fumarate · Per serving: 1 softgel · Cost per day: low

Folate 800 mcg (1,330 mcg DFE), iron 27 mg, iodine 150 mcg, DHA 200 mg, D 1,000 IU

  • Folate 800 mcg, iron 27 mg, iodine 150 mcg and DHA 200 mg all in one softgel
  • Vitamin A is beta-carotene 770 mcg, so it's safe
  • Calcium 150 mg in the same softgel as iron competes a little for absorption
  • No choline; low cost per day

People who want folate, iron, iodine and DHA in one pill. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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RecommendedMegaFood

Baby & Me 2 Prenatal Multi

Tablet, active folate (5-MTHF), iron bisglycinate · Per serving: 2 tablets · Cost per day: high

Folate 1,020 mcg DFE (5-MTHF 600 mcg), iron 18 mg, iodine 150 mcg, choline 300 mg, D 600 IU

  • Active folate (5-MTHF) 600 mcg and choline 300 mg — the most choline of the group
  • Iron is gentle bisglycinate at 18 mg — less than the 27 mg standard
  • No calcium, so it doesn't compete with iron
  • No DHA, and vitamin D is a bit low at 600 IU

People who want plenty of choline, or whose stomach didn't tolerate iron. If your doctor recommends more iron, add it separately. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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RecommendedNordic Naturals

Prenatal DHA, Unflavored

Softgel, purified fish oil, D3 · Per serving: 2 softgels · Cost per day: average

DHA 480 mg, EPA 205 mg, D3 400 IU (2 softgels)

  • DHA 480 mg and EPA 205 mg in 2 softgels — well above the 200 mg DHA standard
  • Also has vitamin D 400 IU, so add it to the D in your multivitamin
  • DHA-only product with no folate, iron or iodine

People taking a prenatal multivitamin without DHA. If you take medication that affects bleeding, talk to your doctor.

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Depends on your needs 18

DependsNature Made

Prenatal Multi

Tablet, folic acid, ferrous fumarate · Per serving: 1 tablet · Cost per day: low

Folate 800 mcg (1,330 mcg DFE), iron 27 mg, iodine 150 mcg, D 1,000 IU, no DHA

  • Folate 800 mcg, iron 27 mg and iodine 150 mcg in one tablet — the essentials are covered
  • Calcium 250 mg in the same tablet as iron competes for absorption
  • No DHA or choline, so you'll need them separately
  • The same brand's version with DHA also has a lower cost per day

People who already take DHA separately. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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DependsOne A Day

Women's Prenatal 1 (Folic Acid, Iron, Omega-3 DHA)

Softgel, folic acid, iron · Per serving: 1 softgel · Cost per day: low

Folate 800 mcg, iron 28 mg, iodine 150 mcg, DHA 200 mg, D 400 IU

  • Folate 800 mcg, iron 28 mg, iodine 150 mcg and DHA 200 mg in one softgel
  • Only 400 IU vitamin D, so you'll need extra
  • Calcium 200 mg in the same softgel as iron; no choline
  • Vitamin A 4,000 IU (beta-carotene + retinol, 1,200 mcg) is below the upper limit

People who want a one-pill all-in-one and take vitamin D separately. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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DependsOLLY

Ultra Strength Prenatal Multivitamin Softgels

Softgel, folic acid, fish oil DHA · Per serving: 2 softgels · Cost per day: average

Folate 400 mcg (667 mcg DFE), iron 7.6 mg, iodine 150 mcg, DHA 200 mg, D 800 IU

  • Folate 400 mcg, iodine 150 mcg and DHA 200 mg meet the standard
  • Only 7.6 mg iron — far short of the 27 mg standard
  • Vitamin A is retinol 650 mcg, below the upper limit (3,000 mcg)
  • Has ginger extract 25 mg; no choline

People taking iron separately (iron dose as your doctor advises). If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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DependsThorne

Basic Prenatal

Capsule, active folate (5-MTHF), chelated iron (Ferrochel) · Per serving: 3 capsules · Cost per day: high

Folate 1,000 mcg 5-MTHF (1,700 mcg DFE), iron 45 mg, iodine 150 mcg, choline 110 mg, D 1,000 IU

  • Iron 45 mg reaches the supplement upper limit (about 45 mg)
  • Folate is also high at 1,000 mcg 5-MTHF, above the 400–800 mcg standard
  • Chelated minerals, choline 110 mg and iodine 150 mcg are good
  • Calcium 180 mg in the same 3 capsules as iron; no DHA

People diagnosed with anemia whose doctor recommends high iron. Don't combine with another iron supplement. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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DependsNew Chapter

Advanced Perfect Prenatal Multivitamin

Tablet, fermented vitamins, methylfolate · Per serving: 3 tablets · Cost per day: high

Folate 600 mcg DFE, iron 27 mg, iodine 150 mcg, D 1,000 IU, no DHA or choline

  • Folate 600 mcg DFE, iron 27 mg and iodine 150 mcg — the essentials are covered
  • Herb blend 225 mg and lactation blend 100 mg don't list individual amounts (dandelion, lemon balm, lavender, etc.)
  • No DHA or choline, and it's 3 tablets a day
  • Calcium 75 mg is in with the iron

People who want fermented, food-based ingredients and take DHA separately. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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DependsRainbow Light

Prenatal One Multivitamin with Probiotics

Tablet, folic acid, chelated iron · Per serving: 1 tablet

Folate 360 mcg (600 mcg DFE), iron 27 mg, iodine 290 mcg, choline 55 mg, D 600 IU (D2)

  • Iron 27 mg and iodine 290 mcg in one tablet
  • Folate 360 mcg is a bit under the 400 mcg minimum
  • Choline 55 mg is a token amount; no DHA
  • Herb and probiotic blend 97 mg doesn't list individual amounts

People who want one tablet a day and will add a bit more folate and DHA. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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DependsGarden of Life

mykind Organics Prenatal Multi

Tablet, organic whole-food ingredients · Per serving: 3 tablets · Cost per day: high

Folate 800 mcg DFE, iron 27 mg, iodine 290 mcg, D 1,000 IU, no DHA or choline

  • Folate 800 mcg DFE, iron 27 mg and iodine 290 mcg — the essentials are covered
  • Contains a 1.4 g blend of 30+ fruits, vegetables and herbs (holy basil, moringa, etc.)
  • No DHA or choline, and it's 3 tablets a day

People who want organic whole-food ingredients and take DHA separately. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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DependsGarden of Life

Vitamin Code Raw Prenatal

Capsule, raw food, enzymes and probiotics · Per serving: 3 capsules

Folate 800 mcg DFE, iron 27 mg, iodine 290 mcg, D 1,400 IU, no DHA or choline

  • Folate 800 mcg DFE, iron 27 mg (chelated) and iodine 290 mcg — the essentials are covered
  • Fruit and vegetable blend 715 mg (25 kinds) and enzyme/probiotic blend don't list individual amounts
  • No DHA or choline, and it's 3 capsules a day

People who want to open capsules and mix the contents, and take DHA separately. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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DependsGarden of Life

mykind Organics Prenatal Once Daily

Tablet, organic whole-food ingredients · Per serving: 1 tablet · Cost per day: average

Folate 600 mcg DFE, iron 18 mg, iodine 145 mcg, D 750 IU, no DHA or choline

  • Folate 600 mcg DFE and iodine 145 mcg in one tablet
  • Iron 18 mg is less than the 27 mg standard
  • Contains a blend of 30+ fruits, vegetables and herbs (holy basil, moringa, etc.)
  • No DHA or choline; higher cost per day

People who want a one-a-day whole-food product and take DHA separately. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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Dependsvitafusion

PreNatal Gummies (Folate & DHA)

Gummy, folic acid, fish oil DHA · Per serving: 2 gummies · Cost per day: low

Folate 360 mcg (600 mcg DFE), iodine 220 mcg, DHA 50 mg, D 800 IU, iron 0 mg

  • No iron, so you'll need it separately
  • Iodine 220 mcg and vitamin D 800 IU are enough
  • DHA 50 mg is far short of the 200 mg standard
  • No vitamin B1, B2 or calcium; 4 g added sugar in 2 gummies

People who can't swallow pills. Take iron and DHA separately. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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DependsOne A Day

Women's Prenatal Gummies (Iron-Free)

Gummy, folic acid, algae DHA · Per serving: 2 gummies · Cost per day: low

Folate 800 mcg (1,330 mcg DFE), iodine 150 mcg, DHA 50 mg, D 1,200 IU, iron 0 mg

  • Iron is 0 mg, so you'll need it separately
  • Folate 800 mcg, iodine 150 mcg and vitamin D 1,200 IU meet the standard
  • DHA 50 mg is far short of the 200 mg standard; zinc is 2.6 mg
  • No vitamin B1, B2 or calcium

People who can't swallow pills and take iron separately. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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DependsOLLY

The Essential Prenatal Multivitamin Gummy

Gummy, folic acid, fish oil DHA · Per serving: 2 gummies · Cost per day: low

Folate 400 mcg (667 mcg DFE), iodine 150 mcg, DHA 50 mg, D 800 IU, iron 0 mg

  • No iron, so you'll need it separately
  • Folate 400 mcg, iodine 150 mcg and vitamin D 800 IU meet the standard
  • DHA 50 mg and choline 10 mg are token amounts
  • No vitamin B1, B2 or calcium

People who can't swallow pills. Take iron and DHA separately. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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DependsOne A Day

Prenatal Advanced (Folic Acid, Choline, DHA & Iron)

Tablet + softgel 2-part set · Per serving: 1 tablet + 1 softgel · Cost per day: average

Label not verified — title lists folate, choline, DHA and iron

  • Couldn't find this product in the NIH label database (DSLD), so amounts aren't verified
  • The title lists folate, choline, DHA and iron — check amounts on the label before buying
  • Two parts: 1 tablet and 1 softgel a day

People who'll check folate, iron and iodine amounts on the label before buying. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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DependsPink Stork

Total Prenatal Vitamin + DHA

Capsule, with DHA

Label not verified — title lists DHA, iron and folate

  • Couldn't find this product in the NIH label database (DSLD), so amounts aren't verified
  • The title lists DHA, iron and folate — check amounts and daily serving on the label before buying

People who'll check folate, iron, iodine and the vitamin A form on the label before buying. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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DependsRitual

Essential Prenatal Multivitamin (Omega-3 DHA)

Capsule, with DHA · Cost per day: high

Label not verified — title lists DHA, 30 servings

  • Couldn't find this product in the NIH label database (DSLD), so amounts aren't verified
  • The title lists omega-3 DHA — check iron, iodine and choline amounts on the label
  • Higher cost per day

People who'll check iron and iodine amounts on the label before buying. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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DependsZahler

Prenatal + DHA 300

Softgel, methylfolate, DHA

Label not verified — title lists methylfolate and DHA 300 mg

  • Couldn't find this product in the NIH label database (DSLD), so amounts aren't verified
  • The title lists methylfolate and DHA 300 — check iron and iodine amounts and the daily serving on the label

People who'll check iron, iodine and the vitamin A form on the label before buying. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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DependsGlow

Prenatal Multivitamin with Folate & Vegan DHA

Veggie capsule, vegan DHA

Label not verified — title lists folate and vegan DHA

  • Couldn't find this product in the NIH label database (DSLD), so amounts aren't verified
  • The title lists folate and vegan DHA — check iron and iodine amounts and the daily serving on the label

People who avoid fish and will check the label themselves. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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DependsAmazon Basics

Prenatal & DHA Gummy

Gummy, with DHA

Label not verified — title says gummy with DHA

  • Couldn't find this product in the NIH label database (DSLD), so amounts aren't verified
  • Iron isn't in the title — gummies often leave out iron, so check the label
  • Since it's a gummy, be sure to check DHA and mineral amounts on the label

People who can't swallow pills and will check the label themselves. If there's no iron, take it separately. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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Not recommended 1

Not recommendedGarden of Life

mykind Organics Prenatal Multi Gummies

Gummy, organic whole-food ingredients · Per serving: 4 gummies · Cost per day: average

Folate 600 mcg DFE, D 800 IU, iodine 0 mcg, iron 0 mg, no DHA

  • Missing all the key prenatal nutrients: iodine, iron and DHA
  • Minerals and B vitamins are token amounts, like zinc 1.5 mg, manganese 0.2 mg and vitamin B1 0.6 mg
  • 4 gummies a day, higher cost per day

People who only want folate and vitamin D in a gummy. You'll need iodine, iron and DHA separately. If your doctor prescribed a prenatal, that comes first.

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