Comparison

Best prenatal vitamins in the UK

If you are already pregnant, the most important thing a prenatal vitamin must cover is the NHS advice for pregnancy: 400 micrograms of folic acid daily (ideally from before conception until 12 weeks) and 10 micrograms of vitamin D daily between early October and late March, or all year if you get little sunlight, with no vitamin A. Below we compare named UK pregnancy multivitamins on format and who each suits. If you are still trying to conceive rather than already pregnant, see our fertility supplements comparison instead. A prenatal is a top-up, not a substitute for a healthy diet, so discuss yours with your midwife or GP. This is information, not medical advice.

At a glance

Comparison of prenatal vitamins in the UK by format and who each suits
Brand and product	Format	Best suited to
Pregnacare, Original	Tablet (multi)	Wanting a widely stocked all-in-one
Wild Nutrition, Pregnancy + New Mother Multi	Capsule (food-grown)	Preferring a food-grown format
Boots, Bump & Beyond Pregnancy Multivitamin	Tablet (multi)	Wanting a lower-cost high-street option
Zita West, Vital Essence 1	Capsule (multi)	Wanting a trimester-specific range

The shortlist

Pregnacare, Original See our guidance Widely available UK prenatal multivitamin; check the folic acid and vitamin D amounts on the label. Wild Nutrition, Pregnancy + New Mother Multi See our guidance Food-grown delivery; women-focused UK brand. Its label states folate rather than folic acid, so check which form and amount it gives you. Boots, Bump & Beyond Pregnancy Multivitamin See our guidance High-street own-brand prenatal; Boots states it provides 400 micrograms of folic acid and 10 micrograms of vitamin D. Check the label for vitamin A. Zita West, Vital Essence 1 See our guidance Pregnancy-focused UK brand whose pregnancy multi is split by trimester (Vital Essence 1, 2 and 3), so check you have the right stage, and read the folate and vitamin D amounts.

Before you buy, read the NHS-aligned basics in our trying to conceive and pregnancy guides, plus our vitamin D and iron guides, since those nutrients matter most around this stage. Recovery afterwards is covered in our postnatal guide.

How we compared

We shortlist real, named UK brands in each category by desk research: product form, typical dose against NHS and EFSA reference intakes (our dose and evidence constants are dated on the research index), who each product suits, and value for money. We have not hands-on tested these products and don't claim to. No brand pays for inclusion or placement, and we do not rank by commission: as of July 2026 no affiliate link on this site earns us anything; if that ever changes it will be disclosed where the link appears.

One thing worth settling before you choose: labels use folate and folic acid as if they were interchangeable, and they are not quite the same thing. We set out the difference, and which one NHS advice actually refers to in pregnancy, in folate vs folic acid. You can also check what any of these products costs per effective dose with our prenatal cost-per-dose calculator. Not pregnant yet? A prenatal is built for pregnancy specifically; if you are still trying to conceive, see our best fertility supplements UK comparison instead, or our broader trying to conceive guide.

Frequently asked questions

What do prenatal vitamins need to contain?

The two supplements the NHS specifically advises in pregnancy are 400 micrograms of folic acid daily (ideally from before conception until 12 weeks) and 10 micrograms of vitamin D daily between early October and late March. The NHS advises taking the vitamin D all year if you get little sunlight, for example if you usually cover most of your skin outdoors, spend a lot of time indoors, or have black or brown skin. A good prenatal product covers both amounts clearly, so check the label rather than relying on the name.

How did you choose these?

We shortlisted real UK pregnancy multivitamin brands that are current products on the brand's own site, then compared them on format and who each suits. We have not verified every label ourselves, so we tell you which amounts to check rather than certify each product: the folic acid form and amount, the vitamin D amount, and whether there is any vitamin A. We do not rank by commission, and we add a buying link only once it is live. See our methodology below.

Do I need a prenatal vitamin or just folic acid and vitamin D?

For many women, the NHS folic acid and vitamin D recommendations are the core, and a separate folic acid plus vitamin D can meet them. A prenatal multivitamin is a convenient way to cover both, but it is not essential as long as you meet those two. Discuss your situation with your midwife or GP.

Which prenatal vitamins should I avoid?

The NHS advises avoiding supplements containing vitamin A (retinol) in pregnancy, so choose a product designed for pregnancy that states it is vitamin A free. Do not double up on multiple products covering the same nutrients, and check anything with your midwife if you take other medication.

This is information, not medical advice, and is not a substitute for a registered clinician. Always read product labels and speak to your GP, midwife or pharmacist before starting a supplement in pregnancy.

Oliver Mackman

Editor, Her Vitals

Oliver leads Her Vitals's editorial coverage of women's life-stage health and supplements. He curates and reviews existing branded products across trying to conceive, pregnancy, postnatal, perimenopause, menopause and the senior years, weighing what the evidence supports against guidance from bodies such as EFSA, the NHS and NICE, and is clear that the content is information rather than medical advice.

Last updated: 17 September 2026