On paper, the answer should be pretty straightforward: take a prenatal multivitamin when pregnant or trying, and a regular multivitamin when not. But we also know it’s not always so cut and dried—especially if you’ve heard some buzz about taking prenatal multivitamins because of certain additional nutrients they often contain (like biotin, for example).

The short answer: if you believe your nutrient needs might be different than the norm, then it’s best to check in with a primary care physician or OB/GYN to talk about the available options. Otherwise, read ahead—we’ll clear some things up about taking a prenatal multivitamin when not pregnant (including if someone has recently given birth).

Multivitamins vs. Prenatal Multivitamins

First, it’s helpful to understand the potential nutrient differences between a women's multivitamin and a prenatal multivitamin—so let’s do a side-by-side comparison of our Essential for Women 18+ multivitamin and our Essential Prenatal multivitamin as an example. It really all comes down to the nutrients and amount of nutrients needed based on which stage of life you’re in.

Our Essential for Women multivitamin 18+ contains 9 key nutrients designed to help fill nutrient gaps in the diet, while our Essential Prenatal contains 12 key nutrients for before and during pregnancy. Some of these key nutrients overlap: for example, both multivitamins are formulated with omega-3 DHA, vitamin B12, vitamin D3, and folate, in addition to a few others.*

But then there are a few key differences, since some nutrient needs change when growing a human.

Choline
For example, many pregnant women do not consume the recommended amount of choline, so we included this essential nutrient in our prenatal multivitamin to help support baby’s brain development.*

Iodine
We also added iodine in Essential Prenatal too, since the recommended amount of iodine increases during pregnancy. Pregnant women should aim for 290 mcg of iodine per day which is why we include 150 mcg of iodine in Essential Prenatal to help fill in nutrient gaps that pregnant women may not be getting enough of from diet. (1) You won’t find iodine in Essential for Women 18+ because non-pregnant women typically get enough of this nutrient through diet alone.*

Biotin
Our third addition to our prenatal multivitamin: biotin, because scientific evidence suggests that higher biotin intake may be needed to meet the requirement for pregnancy. However, we do not include biotin in Essential for Women 18+ because many women who are not pregnant can meet their biotin needs through diet alone, since it’s found in a wide range of foods like eggs, avocado, beef, and yeast.*

Omega-3 DHA
In some cases, we need the same nutrients as we do before pregnancy, but at different levels. For example, our Essential Prenatal is formulated with more DHA per serving, since this specific omega-3 fatty acid plays a role for both mother and baby.*

Iron
We also include more iron in our prenatals because pregnancy comes with a higher demand for it. Our Essential for Women 18+ contains 8 mg per serving of iron, while our Essential Prenatal contains 18 mg per serving. And while it’s true that some non-pregnant people may need more iron than others (due to vegan and other restrictive diets, as well as certain conditions), we recommend consulting with a healthcare provider to determine how to go about supplementation for specific needs before making the switch to a prenatal multivitamin.*

Folate
Our prenatal multivitamin has more folate (vitamin B9) than Essential for Women, which supports neural tube development during pregnancy. As a reminder, folic acid is a synthetic form of folate found in many supplements—but folic acid isn't always an ideal form of folate for the body to utilize. This is why you’ll find folate, not folic acid in our multivitamins (including Essential Prenatal).

When to Consider Making the Switch

We recommend switching to our Essential Prenatal when pregnant, thinking about getting pregnant, or actively trying for a baby. A good rule to shoot for is three months ahead, so that people can be already taking a prenatal multivitamin during the early weeks of pregnancy (before they might even know that they're pregnant). Outside of pregnancy needs, we recommend sticking with Essential for Women 18+ multivitamin unless otherwise directed by a doctor, since it was specifically formulated to help fill gaps that many women experience in their diets.*

Recently gave birth and entering the postpartum period? Then consider making a different multivitamin switch—from a prenatal multivitamin to a postnatal multivitamin. The truth is nutrient demands change again after birth, especially if breastfeeding. Our Essential Postnatal was formulated with 15 nutrients to support postpartum nutrition for 6 months (or during lactation).*

Bottom line?

It's pretty simple: take prenatal multivitamins if pregnant or planning to be pregnant—and switch to a postnatal multivitamin for those that have recently given birth. If neither applies, a quality daily multivitamin may be the way to go. And for all of the above, don't forget to lead with a mostly-healthy, balanced diet.*

References:

1. Office of Dietary Supplements - Iodine. (n.d.). Retrieved August 31, 2020, from National Institutes of Health.

2. USDA, Agricultural Research Service. Usual Nutrient Intake from Food and Beverages, by Pregnancy/Lactation Status, What We Eat in America, NHANES 2013-2016. 2020.