Let’s Talk Prenatal Vitamins for Pregnancy

Produced in partnership with Perelel. Please note that some products listed are affiliate links and we may collect a small commission on your purchase.

You’re pregnant (congrats!), and suddenly, your to-do list is a mile long. From choosing the right stroller, to making sure to eat a balanced diet, to figuring out the side effects of various foods, to Googling, “Is sushi really off-limits?”—it’s a lot. Somewhere near the top of that list sits an important one: finding the best prenatal vitamins.

Sounds easy enough, until you realize most prenatal vitamins miss the mark.

They tend to follow a simple, one-size-fits-all formula, assuming that what your body needs at 8 weeks is the same as what it needs at 38.

Spoiler: it’s not. 

Your nutritional needs shift dramatically throughout pregnancy—what helps in the first trimester (when saltines and ginger ale are your best friends) isn’t going to cut it in the third (when heartburn hits and you’re counting down the days to delivery). Early on, your baby’s neural tube is forming, making folate and DHA essential. By the second trimester, bones are strengthening, and the brain is rapidly developing, increasing the need for calcium, choline, and iron. In the final stretch, your baby is gaining weight quickly, demanding even more iron, healthy fats, and digestive support to keep both of you strong.

“Timing is critical in nutrition, especially during pregnancy,” explains Dr. Banafsheh Bayati, MD, OB/GYN, FACOG, co-founder of Perelel. “Your body’s needs evolve with each trimester, and your prenatal vitamins should, too.”

That’s exactly why Perelel was created. It’s the only OB/GYN-founded prenatal vitamin brand that delivers stage-specific solutions with targeted nutrients—so your body and your growing baby get exactly what they need, exactly when they need it.

Your Body’s Changing—Your Prenatal Vitamins Should, Too

Let’s break it down by supplement needs per trimester:

• In the first trimester, it’s all about supporting your baby’s foundational development (while managing that morning sickness). Key nutrients like folate help prevent neural tube defects, while vitamin B6 and ginger work to ease morning sickness. DHA supports early brain development, and probiotics help keep digestion on track—because pregnancy side effects can throw your gut for a loop. Probiotics also help with the baby’s microbiome.
• In the second trimester, baby is growing fast, and so is the demand for supplements with nutrients like calcium for developing bones, iron to support increased blood volume and prevent anemia, and choline to fuel ongoing brain development.
• By the third trimester, your body’s prepping for birth—and digestion? Let’s just say it’s … slower than usual. This is the time to up your intake of iron and calcium to support baby’s final growth spurt, while magnesium helps ease leg cramps and promotes muscle relaxation. Probiotics and digestive enzymes come in handy here, too, helping with common third-trimester struggles like constipation and heartburn.

“Women’s nutritional needs change drastically during pregnancy,” says Dr. Bayati. “Yet so many prenatal vitamins use a one-size-fits-all approach that leaves gaps in care. Perelel was created to fill those gaps.”

The Perelel Trimester Packs: Designed to Keep Up With You

Even with a healthy diet, it can be challenging to get all of the nutritional needs of pregnancy from food sources. This is where Perelel’s trimester-specific prenatal vitamin packs come in. They are built to evolve with a pregnant woman. Every month, you’ll receive a box of pre-portioned daily supplement packs tailored to exactly where you are—so there’s no guesswork and no gaps.

Let’s dig into what makes each trimester prenatal vitamin pack unique:

First Trimester (Weeks 0–13): Ease Nausea & Build Baby’s Foundation
The first trimester can be equal parts exciting and overwhelming. Between morning sickness, fatigue, and those very specific food aversions, getting the right nutrients can be tricky. But this is also when crucial development happens—your baby’s brain and spinal cord are forming, making the right nutrients especially important.

Perelel’s Targeted Prenatal Supplements for First Trimester:

• Methylated Folate: The most bioavailable form of folate to help prevent neural tube defects and support early brain and spinal cord development.
• Vitamin B6 + Ginger: A natural combo to help combat morning sickness and ease nausea.
• DHA & EPA (Omega-3 Fatty Acids): Essential for fetal brain development.
• Choline: Vital for fetal brain development and may help reduce the risk of certain birth defects.
• Vitamin D: Supports bone health and helps with calcium absorption, plus it plays a role in immune function.
• Vitamin B12: Supports neural tube development, boosts red blood cell production, and helps combat pregnancy fatigue.
  

“Nausea can make it hard to eat well in the first trimester,” acknowledges Dr. Bayati. “This supplement pack ensures you’re still getting the critical nutrients—even if all you can stomach is toast.”

Second Trimester (Weeks 14–27): Energy Boost & Baby’s Rapid Growth
This is when many pregnant women finally feel like themselves again. Morning sickness often eases up, energy returns, and the baby bump starts to show. But behind the scenes, your baby’s bones are strengthening, the brain is growing rapidly, and your blood volume is increasing—meaning your nutritional needs are, too.

Perelel’s Targeted Prenatal Supplements for Second Trimester:

• Calcium: To support your baby’s skeletal growth.
• Magnesium: to help ease muscle cramps.
• Iron: Helps prevent anemia and combats fatigue as your body ramps up red blood cell production.
• DHA & EPA (Omega-3 Fatty Acids): Essential for brain development, eye health, and supporting your baby’s growing nervous system.
• Choline: Plays a key role in cognitive development and memory function and supports placental health.
• Vitamin D: Critical for bone health and immune function for both mom and baby.
• Vitamin C: Helps with iron absorption and boosts immune health.

“Even if you’re eating well, your iron stores can dip during the second trimester,” notes Dr. Bayati. “This multivitamin pack fills in the gaps to keep both mom and baby thriving.”

Third Trimester (Weeks 28–40+): Birth Prep & Digestive Support
By now, your body’s working overtime. Baby’s gaining weight quickly, and your uterus is putting extra pressure on, well, everything—including your digestive system. (If you know, you know.)

This is the time to focus on energy, strength, and preparing your body for delivery.

Perelel’s Targeted Prenatal Supplements for Third Trimester:

• Iron & Calcium: To support your baby’s final growth spurt and prep your body for labor.
• Magnesium: To help reduce leg cramps, ease muscle tension, and support restful sleep (hard to imagine, but it is possible).
• Probiotics: Supports digestion and gut health, helping relieve constipation and heartburn while promoting a healthy microbiome for both mom and baby.
• Vitamin C: To help with iron absorption and support immune health.
• Methylated Folate: Though its role is most critical in early pregnancy, it’s included through the third trimester to support continued cell growth and development.
  

“Digestive slowdowns, heartburn, swelling—these are common in the third trimester,” says Dr. Bayati. “This pack is designed to help you finish strong.”

The Nutritional Support Doesn’t Stop After Birth

Unfortunately, many prenatal supplements don’t include postpartum care. After delivery, your body is in full recovery mode. You’re healing, possibly breastfeeding, and definitely running low on sleep. Your nutritional needs? Still sky-high.

“Postpartum depletion is real,” says Dr. Bayati. “Many new moms feel totally drained, yet most stop taking supplements after birth. That’s when they need them the most—especially if breastfeeding.”

Clinically Proven to Support Postpartum Recovery
Perelel’s Mom Multi Support Pack isn’t just doctor-formulated—it’s backed by real results. In an independent 8-week consumer perception study, moms reported:

• 70% had more energy and improved overall mood
• 73% noticed brighter, more radiant skin and better skin health
• 77% experienced shinier hair
• 8 out of 10 would recommend it to a friend

Perelel’s Postpartum Pack Focuses On:

• Iron & B Vitamins: Helps replenish iron stores lost during delivery, supports red blood cell production, and helps fight postpartum fatigue​.
• DHA & EPA (Omega-3 Fatty Acids): Supports brain function, aids in memory and focus, and may help reduce the risk of postpartum mood disorders​.
• Choline: Essential for cognitive health, nerve function, and placental recovery while also supporting breastfeeding moms with increased nutrient demands​.
• Herbal Blends: Includes lactation-supporting herbs such as fenugreek and blessed thistle, traditionally used to help promote milk supply and hormonal balance​.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Helps reduce inflammation, supports mood stabilization, and contributes to overall postpartum recovery​.
• Vitamin D: Critical for immune health, bone strength, and mood balance—essential during the sleep-deprived postpartum period​.
• Antioxidants (Vitamin E, Vitamin C & Vitamin A): Helps the body manage oxidative stress, supports tissue repair, and promotes skin healing after childbirth​.
  

And when you’re beyond the newborn stage? The Mom Multi Support Pack provides daily support with nutrients that help maintain energy, immune health, and mental clarity—because let’s be real, motherhood is the ultimate marathon.

Why Perelel Works (When Others Don’t):

• Stage-Specific Ingredients: Because your nutritional needs change throughout your pregnancy.
• Doctor-Formulated: Developed by OB/GYNs, fertility experts, and nutritionists.
• Research-Backed: Clinically-backed ingredients in doctor-recommended doses
• Methylated Folate (Not Just Folic Acid): A bioavailable form that your body can actually absorb, especially key for the 60% of women with the MTHFR gene mutation.
• Third-Party Tested: Every batch is tested for purity, potency, and heavy metals.
• Clean & Transparent: Gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, non-GMO, and awarded the Clean Label Project’s Purity Award.

Your body’s working hard. Your supplements should, too.

Perelel makes it simple for women to have a healthy pregnancy, and find the best prenatal vitamins. When you subscribe, simply enter your due date and they’ll send you exactly what you need when you need it. From conception to postpartum and beyond, it’s prenatal vitamins that actually keeps up with you.

Find Your Perfect Prenatal Vitamin.