Prenatal vitamins work on a simple condition: they have to be taken every day. The hour you choose matters less than whether you take it reliably and whether your body handles it well. Food, drinks and other supplements can affect how well your body absorbs your prenatal and how well you tolerate it, and a few small adjustments can make your prenatal easier to tolerate and better absorbed.
Key points
- Pick one time of day and keep it the same.
- Take your prenatal with a meal that has some fat, which helps the body absorb vitamins A, D, E and K and DHA.
- Leave space between your prenatal and coffee, tea or calcium supplements, which can reduce iron absorption.
- If morning nausea is strong, taking it in the evening with food is often easier.
Take it at the same time every day
A prenatal taken at 9 p.m. every night does more for you than one taken at 8 a.m. on the days you remember. Tie it to something you already do daily, such as breakfast, brushing your teeth or dinner, and it becomes much harder to forget.
Take it with a meal
Most prenatal vitamins are best taken with food, for two reasons.
The first is absorption. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble, which means the body absorbs them along with fat. DHA is a fat too, so it's absorbed the same way. Taking a prenatal with a meal that contains some fat, such as eggs, yogurt, avocado or cooking oil, helps the body absorb these nutrients.
The second is comfort. Iron is one of the most common reasons a prenatal feels harsh on the stomach, and many people find iron-containing vitamins easier to tolerate after eating than on an empty stomach.
Morning or night?
Both work, and the better choice depends on how you feel.
Mornings suit people who eat a real breakfast and like to get daily tasks done early. A morning routine is also easy to attach to habits that already exist. Prenatals contain B vitamins and iron, which support normal energy metabolism, so some women like taking theirs with breakfast.
Evenings often work better in the first trimester. For many women, nausea is strongest in the morning, and taking a prenatal with dinner, or with a small snack before bed, can be more comfortable. If you take it at night, have it with food rather than on an empty stomach.
If your prenatal comes as a two-pill serving, check the label directions. Some formulas suggest splitting the serving across the day. Prenatal +DHA 300's label, for example, says to take two softgels daily, preferably one softgel twice a day with food.
What to keep apart from your prenatal
Coffee and tea
Coffee and black, green and many herbal teas contain polyphenols, plant compounds that reduce the absorption of the iron found in plant foods and supplements. If you drink coffee or tea with breakfast, consider taking your prenatal with a different meal, or leave an hour or so between them.
Calcium supplements and large servings of dairy
Calcium can interfere with iron absorption. The National Institutes of Health suggests that taking calcium and iron supplements at different times of day may help. If your provider has recommended a separate calcium supplement, take it at a different meal from your prenatal. A little butter on your bread is a much smaller concern than a calcium tablet.
Thyroid medication
Iron and calcium can interfere with the absorption of thyroid medications such as levothyroxine. If you take thyroid medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist how many hours to leave between it and your prenatal.
Foods that help your body absorb iron
Vitamin C improves the absorption of the iron in plant foods and supplements. Taking your prenatal with a meal that includes vitamin C-rich foods, such as citrus fruit, berries, peppers, tomatoes or broccoli, can help you get more from its iron.
If your prenatal upsets your stomach
- Take it with your largest meal of the day.
- Try taking it in the evening.
- Drink a full glass of water with it.
- Ask your provider about a formula with a different amount of iron, or a smaller softgel.
If you can't keep your prenatal down for more than a few days, tell your doctor or midwife. They can help you find a format and schedule that works.
Zahler prenatals and timing
Both Zahler prenatals are softgels made with DHA from algal oil, and both are best taken with a meal.
One softgel a day
Mighty Mini Prenatal + DHA
★★★★★ 4.7 from 100+ reviews
One small softgel fits into a single daily routine. 19 vitamins and minerals plus 100 mg of DHA.
Shop Mighty Mini
Two softgels a day
Prenatal +DHA 300
★★★★★ 4.8 from 140+ reviews
300 mg of DHA from algal oil in two softgels a day, preferably one with breakfast and one with dinner.
Shop Prenatal +DHAThis article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider about your individual needs. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Sources
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. "Iron Fact Sheet for Consumers" and "Dietary Supplements and Life Stages: Pregnancy."
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. "Vitamin C" fact sheet.
- StatPearls. "Biochemistry, Iron Absorption." NCBI Bookshelf.
- Zahler Prenatal +DHA 300 label directions.
