Should I change my prenatal during pregnancy?

When you’re pregnant (or TTC), prenatals are as important for men as they are for women. But what happens if your prenatal is missing something critical, like choline, or contains less than the recommended amount of vitamins and minerals? What if your prenatal is just really tough on your stomach, or you’re having a hard time consistently getting down eight pills a day? Whatever the reason, you may find yourself wondering: Is it safe to switch prenatals?

There’s a lot of contradictory information out there, so we asked fertility dietitians for advice on switching pregnancy supplements.

Is it safe to switch prenatal vitamins during pregnancy?

Jessica Monroe, PhD, RD, LD, and founder of Fresh Nutrition and Wellness, says,“Women may want to switch to a higher quality prenatal when they learn theirs is lacking in certain nutrients. Or [if they] cannot stomach their current prenatal during first trimester due to nausea or gagging, so we find one that they can tolerate… Once the nausea has subsided, we can switch back to a higher quality one.”

Monroe also points out a common third-trimester problem: women tend to be slightly anemic and Monroe says, “If they can’t increase their iron levels with food, a prenatal with iron may be warranted.”

Competing nutrients can also be a good reason to switch your prenatal. Anabelle Harari Clebaner, MS, RD, RYT, and the CEO and founder of Wellspring Nutrition, says, “If someone is having constipation or tummy issues from their prenatal, that may warrant switching to an iron-free formula… [as] many prenatals contain iron in them, which can compete for absorption with zinc.”

Is it safe to switch prenatal vitamin after pregnancy to boost milk supply?

Even after delivery, it’s important to continue taking prenatal vitamins. Whether you’re breastfeeding or not, continued supplementation has big benefits for your baby. Most experts agree that taking a prenatal vitamin doesn’t boost milk supply, but it will affect the nutritional content of your breast milk. That means a high-quality prenatal vitamin is just as essential after delivery as it was during your pregnancy. So, it’s recommended to continue to take quality vitamins and supplements after your pregnancy, too.

So, what’s the verdict on switching your prenatal during pregnancy?

While it’s always important to check with your doctor, don’t panic about switching prenatal during your pregnancy. “Not all prenatals are created equal and switching for any number of reasons is completely okay,” says Monroe. Clebaner agrees; “The most important thing is to continue taking a high-quality prenatal with methylated B vitamins and eating a balanced diet.”

Making the switch to top-quality, science-aligned prenatal supplements like Beli’s is safe and recommended.