WHICH PRENATAL?

The question is no longer “Should I take a prenatal supplement?”

Instead, women are now asking:

* “Which prenatal is right for me?”

* “Am i getting enough choline?”

* “what form of folate is right for me?”

* “DO i need iron in my prenatal?”

Prenatal Supplements Are Changing, Giving Women More Choice

For many years, prenatal supplements were treated as a one-size-fits-all solution. Most women were recommended the same mainstream product, often with little consideration of their individual nutritional needs, digestive symptoms, iron status, sensitivities, or genetic factors that may influence nutrient requirements.

For a long time, Elevit was one of the best-known prenatal supplements in Australia and was commonly recommended to women planning a pregnancy. Today, however, many women are also hearing about practitioner-grade options such as Mother Dose by Land Lab, Natal Support by All Things Better, NaturoBest Preconception Multi for Women, Orthoplex White Pure Natal, and Eagle Tresos Natal.

This shift reflects a much broader change in how we approach preconception and pregnancy nutrition.

The prenatal supplement market has evolved significantly over the past few years, and it is a welcome change. We are now seeing more evidence-informed formulations that recognise pregnancy nutrition is not as simple as finding one tablet that suits everyone.

Instead, modern prenatal supplements increasingly acknowledge that women enter pregnancy with different nutritional requirements, health histories, dietary patterns, and underlying conditions. Having a wider range of high-quality options allows healthcare practitioners to tailor recommendations to the individual, rather than relying on a single standard approach.

The New Generation of Prenatals

Many of the newer prenatal formulations are moving beyond the traditional approach to pregnancy nutrition. They place greater emphasis on nutrients that were previously underrepresented, overlooked, or omitted altogether, while also using forms of nutrients that may be better absorbed or better tolerated.

Some of the most notable changes include:

• The inclusion of choline, an essential nutrient that supports your baby’s brain and nervous system development.

• The use of methylated folate (5-MTHF) instead of standard folic acid in some formulations.

• Iron-free options for women who do not require supplemental iron or who experience digestive side effects.

• More bioavailable forms of iron that are often gentler on the digestive system for women who do need iron supplementation.

These developments give healthcare practitioners greater flexibility to recommend a prenatal supplement based on a woman’s individual nutritional needs, rather than relying on a single product for everyone.

Choline Is Getting Attention

One of the biggest shifts in prenatal nutrition has been the growing recognition of the importance of choline.

Choline is an essential nutrient that plays a vital role during pregnancy, supporting:

• Fetal brain development

• Nervous system development

• Placental function

• Neural tube development

Research suggests that many pregnant women do not meet the recommended intake of choline through diet alone. Yet, until recently, many prenatal supplements contained little or no choline, meaning women often needed to take an additional supplement to meet their requirements.

The richest dietary source of choline is beef liver, while eggs are one of the best and most practical everyday sources. Other foods such as chicken, fish, dairy products, and soybeans also contribute smaller amounts.

Fortunately, this is beginning to change. More prenatal supplements are now including meaningful amounts of choline, making it easier for women to meet their nutritional needs with fewer separate supplements and a more comprehensive prenatal formula.

Methylfolate vs Folic Acid

Another trend has been the move toward methylated folate, often listed as 5-MTHF or methylfolate.

Traditionally, prenatal supplements have contained folic acid, which remains the form with the strongest evidence for reducing the risk of neural tube defects when taken before conception and during early pregnancy. However, many newer formulations now contain methylfolate, the biologically active form of folate that the body can use directly.

This shift has largely been driven by growing awareness of MTHFR gene variants and the role of methylation in folate metabolism. While research is still evolving, the availability of methylfolate-containing prenatal supplements provides another option for women and their healthcare practitioners to consider.

Perhaps the biggest advantage is that women now have more choice. Rather than relying solely on the traditional prenatal supplements available on the pharmacy shelf, there is now a wider range of evidence-informed formulations that can be selected based on individual needs, preferences, and clinical circumstances.

Not Everyone Needs Iron in Their Prenatal

One of the most common complaints about traditional prenatal supplements is digestive discomfort. Iron can contribute to nausea, constipation, reflux, and other gastrointestinal symptoms, particularly during early pregnancy when many women are already experiencing morning sickness.

Historically, many prenatal supplements contained relatively high doses of iron as a standard inclusion. However, iron requirements are not the same for every woman. Some women begin pregnancy with healthy iron stores, while others have iron deficiency that requires targeted supplementation.

As a result, many modern prenatal formulations now offer greater flexibility. Some include iron, while others intentionally leave it out, allowing iron to be prescribed separately if blood tests indicate it is needed. This supports a more personalised approach based on an individual’s iron status rather than assuming everyone requires the same amount.

Many of the prenatal supplements that do contain iron now use more bioavailable forms, such as iron bisglycinate, an amino acid chelate. Because this form is generally absorbed more efficiently than some traditional forms of iron, it can often be included in smaller amounts while still providing meaningful supplementation. It is also typically gentler on the digestive system, making it a more comfortable option for many women.

How Do These New Comers Compare to Elevit?

For many Australian women, Elevit Pre-conception & Pregnancy Multivitamin has been the default prenatal recommendation for many years.

To its credit, Elevit helped bring prenatal supplementation into mainstream awareness. It provides folic acid, iron, iodine, and many other nutrients that are important before and during pregnancy.

However, the prenatal supplement market has evolved considerably since Elevit first became widely recommended.

Compared with many of the newer formulations now available:

• It does not contain choline. In response to growing awareness of this important nutrient, the Elevit range now includes a separate choline supplement.

• It contains folic acid rather than methylfolate (5-MTHF), which is now used in some newer prenatal formulations.

• It provides 60 mg of iron as ferrous fumarate. While this is an effective form of iron, it can cause digestive side effects such as nausea and constipation in some women. Many newer prenatal supplements instead use forms such as iron bisglycinate, which are often better tolerated.

None of this makes Elevit a “bad” prenatal supplement. For many women, it remains an appropriate, accessible, and evidence-based option.

What has changed is the level of choice available. Women and their healthcare practitioners can now select from a wider range of prenatal supplements, taking into account factors such as iron status, digestive tolerance, dietary intake, genetic considerations, and the inclusion of nutrients like choline. In many cases, there are similarly priced alternatives that may be better suited to an individual’s needs.

More Choice Is a Good Thing

Pre-conception and pregnancy nutrition is rarely one-size-fits-all.

Some women need higher iron support. Others feel significantly better on iron-free formulations. Some prioritise methylfolate, while others prefer traditional folic acid. Some need additional choline, DHA, vitamin D, or practitioner-only supplementation depending on their health history.

What is encouraging is that the market is finally evolving to reflect this complexity.

We are moving away from the idea that every woman should automatically take the exact same prenatal supplement, and toward more personalised, evidence-informed care. This is exactly what good healthcare should look like.

If you would like to discuss prenatal supplements further you can book here to consult Kim via Telehealth or Lisa in clinic.

Whilst we have focused on womens prenatal supplements in this article we can also assist in identifying the best pre-conception supplement for males.