Fertility Dietitian’s Guide to Starting Supplements
Supplements aren’t always an essential, but can be helpful in filling any nutrient gaps, especially if you follow a special diet or are at particular risk of nutrient deficiencies.
This blog contains some affiliate links and discount codes. My affiliations are only to brands that I trust and do not influence the brands that I would list here. Discount codes are purely for your benefit as I know the fertility journey can become expensive!
Combined Prenatal Supplements:
These products contain a variety of nutrients, which provide the essentials and can help cover any nutritional gaps in your diet.
Proceive - this brand was my personal choice through TTC and pregnancy. The Omega 3s capsules are a great source of healthy fats with antioxidant power, especially if you don’t regularly eat oily fish. They also have a brilliant range of preconception, pregnancy and postpartum supplements
Ovum - this supplement does not contain the same breadth of nutrients as the other options, but it does contain CoQ10 in a useful dose, which is seen to be helpful in women over the age of 35. Use code OLIVIAWALL for discount.
Vitabiotics - this well known and trusted brand have some great options for preconcpetion and beyond. They are generally some of the most affordable options. Pregnacare Conception & Pregnacare Conception MAX are popular choices.
Together Health - another vegan certified supplement option containing a breadth of nutrients, but personally, I found the smell of these difficult to deal with in my first trimester! 🤢
If not those, then at least supplement these:
Vitamin D - just 10mcg per day (sometimes written as 400IU). Because, let’s face it, there is just not enough sun here in the UK. Vitabiotics have this very affordable option, but you can also find them in most supermarkets.
Folic Acid - recommended for 3 months prior to TTC, daily dose of 400mcg, again Vitabiotics have this simple option, or find them at the supermarket. If you have diabetes, sickle cell anaemia or a history of neural tube defects in your family, then you will need a higher dose prescribed by your GP.
And the extras?
I’m sure you’ve seen wayyyy more supplements advertised by influencers on instagram, and you’re probably wondering what it necessary and what is not. For more info about supplements, including what your husband could be taking and supplements for specific health conditions, check out my Dietitian’s Guide To TTC.