You might know about the importance of taking nutritional supplements when you’re pregnant. But should you take vitamin and mineral supplements before pregnancy?
Best fertility vitamins for women trying to conceive
Following a healthy diet and lifestyle lays the foundation for a healthy pregnancy and reduces the risk of diseases and birth defects. That’s why many experts recommend starting with the best fertility vitamins even before conception—because the period before getting pregnant is just as vital as pregnancy itself.
If you’re thinking of having a baby, it’s worth treating the three months before conception as an ideal time to prepare your body and health. Taking fertility vitamins and minerals before pregnancy can:
- Support your fertility while you’re trying to conceive
- Get your body baby-ready to meet the nutritional requirements once you do get pregnant
- Close potential nutrient gaps ahead of time!
Pre-pregnancy supplements: Best prenatal vitamins
To find good pre-pregnancy supplements, all you have to do is find a balanced prenatal multivitamin and mineral supplement containing micronutrients that support preconception as well as pregnancy.
Best prenatal vitamins and minerals to look out for are: Folic acid, iron, iodine, zinc, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin A and eventually DHA – an omega-3 fatty acid you may want to include as part of your preconception supplementation, especially if you don’t eat much or any oily fish, where it is naturally found.
Why supplements before pregnancy matter: Closing nutrient gaps early
Many women of child-bearing age have deficiencies of some of the key minerals and vitamins for pregnancy—for example, 30% worldwide have anemia and a lack of iron is the most common reason. And as the body’s needs for these nutrients increases with pregnancy, these deficiencies can become worse once they do get pregnant.
Closing nutrient gaps prior to pregnancy is one of the best steps you can take now—for your health and your future baby’s.
