Prenatal Vitamins: What They Do & How to Use

     When preparing for a baby, there are many things to think about, but one of the simplest ways to support a healthy pregnancy is taking a prenatal vitamin. Prenatal vitamins provide important nutrients that help support both the mother's health and the baby's development. One of the most important nutrients to look for is folic acid. 

     Folic acid is a form of folate, or vitamin B9, that helps the body make new cells. It is especially important during the earliest part of pregnancy because the baby's neural tube is developing. The neural tube eventually becomes the baby's brain and spinal cord. If it does not close properly, serious birth defects called neural tube defects can occur. Two examples are spina bifida, which affects the spinal cord and spine, and anencephaly, which affects the development of the brain and skull (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2026). 

     The important part is that the neural tube develops and closes extremely early in pregnancy, usually within the first few weeks. This can happen before a person even knows that they are pregnant. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that people who are planning to become pregnant or could become pregnant take a daily supplement containing 400–800 micrograms of folic acid, beginning at least one month before conception and continuing through the first two to three months of pregnancy (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force [USPSTF], 2023).

    Taking a prenatal vitamin is one way to help make sure you are getting enough folic acid. The CDC recommends that people who could become pregnant get 400 micrograms of folic acid every day, and many vitamins contain between 400 and 800 micrograms (CDC, 2026). When choosing a vitamin, it is important to check the label to make sure it contains folic acid, since folic acid is the form of folate that has been shown to help prevent neural tube defects (CDC, 2026). 

     Folic acid can also be found in certain fortified foods, such as enriched breads, pastas, rice, and breakfast cereals. It is still important to eat a balanced diet that includes foods containing natural folate, such as leafy green vegetables, beans, and oranges (CDC, 2026). A prenatal vitamin can provide an additional source of important nutrients during pregnancy. 

     Research has shown that folic acid supplementation and food fortification can help prevent neural tube defects. Since mandatory folic acid fortification began in the United States in 1998, about 1,300 babies each year are estimated to be born without a neural tube defect who might otherwise have been affected (CDC, 2026). 

     Prenatal vitamins cannot prevent every birth defect or pregnancy complication, but getting enough folic acid can help prevent some serious defects of the baby's brain and spine. A small daily habit can provide an important benefit during a time when a baby's development is happening in the here and now.

Work Cited

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026, July 15). Folic acid: Sources and recommended intake. https://www.cdc.gov/folic-acid/about/intake-and-sources.html

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. (2023, August 1). Folic acid supplementation to prevent neural tube defects: Preventive medication. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/folic-acid-for-the-prevention-of-neural-tube-defects-preventive-medication