Prenatal vitamins are absolutely necessary for the greater health of mother and child. A good prenatal vitamin can help you to prevent major birth defects such as cleft palate, which actually develops within the first 5 weeks of conception. And it helps you to avoid many other things with the simple benefits of vitamins. Most multivitamins I would say should not actually have iron. However, iron is absolutely essential for the health of baby and mother during pregnancy and breast feeding! The body generally does not get enough through one’s normal diet.

Doctors and experts alike suggest that you start using good prenatal vitamins at least 6 weeks before conception. But of course, if you have not done that, simply start taking a good prenatal vitamin as soon as possible! The sooner the better.

But how do you find the best prenatal vitamins? There are so many out there, and they all have their own unique blends of ingredients. They all say that they have a complete formula. But the question is, which vitamins are actually essential, and which ones actually make a complete prenatal vitamin? The biggest question is, which ones are necessary and which ones are more of fluff or added benefits that are nice to have, but not necessarily needed?

The major one to keep in mind is folic acid. Folic acid has been known to enhance the development of many essential elements within the first 5 weeks of growth. Likewise, iron is absolutely essential. And many find that vitamins A, C, & E are especially important in the protection of and the development of the infant and the mother. Prenatal vitamins should be continued through breast feeding, and some would say every woman of childbearing age who is sexually active should use prenatal vitamins!