What's actually in your pregnancy supplement.

Acerola cherry fruit extract in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Acerola cherry extract is a whole-fruit source of vitamin C that's generally safe during pregnancy at typical food and supplement amounts.

Astragalus root in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Astragalus root is a traditional Chinese tonic herb sold for immune support, and it is one of the clearer avoid entries in this library.

Beta-Glucan in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Beta-glucan from yeast, oats, or mushrooms is popular in immune supplements, but it has never been tested in a pregnancy safety study.

Bromelain in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Bromelain is the pineapple enzyme, and eating pineapple itself is nothing to worry about in pregnancy since the old myth about it triggering labor isn't.

Ceylon cinnamon bark powder in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Ceylon cinnamon, also called 'true' cinnamon, is a long-used culinary spice with less coumarin than the more common Cassia cinnamon.

Chicory root inulin in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Chicory root inulin is a prebiotic fiber added to bars, yogurts, and fiber gummies. Trials in non-pregnant adults show it raises stool frequency modestly.

Deglycyrrhizinated licorice in pregnancy: evidence and safety

DGL is licorice root with the glycyrrhizin taken out, and glycyrrhizin is the specific compound linked to pregnancy risks like preterm birth.

Algae-Based DHA in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Algae-based DHA gives you the same brain-building omega-3 that fish provides, without the mercury or the fishy smell that can turn your stomach.

Elderberry extract in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Elderberry extract is a popular immune-support ingredient, but no study has ever tested it during pregnancy.

Fennel seed in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Fennel seed used in cooking or an occasional cup of tea is unlikely to pose meaningful risk during pregnancy.

Ginger root extract in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Ginger root extract has the strongest pregnancy-specific evidence of any botanical for easing nausea and vomiting, backed by MotherToBaby, ACOG.

Lemon balm leaf extract in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Lemon balm has a long history as a calming, mild digestive herb, though pregnancy-specific safety research is still limited.

Marshmallow root in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Marshmallow root's slippery mucilage can feel soothing on a scratchy throat or an acid-irritated esophagus, and small lab.

Milk thistle in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Milk thistle is a flowering plant whose seed extract, silymarin, is sold for liver support.

N-Acetylcysteine in pregnancy: evidence and safety

NAC's real pregnancy research comes from hospitals giving it as the antidote for acetaminophen (Tylenol) overdose.

Peppermint leaf powder in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Peppermint leaf has a long history of easing mild digestive symptoms, and the small 60 mg dose found in multi-ingredient formulas is roughly what you'd.

Quercetin in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Quercetin is a natural plant compound found in onions, apples, and tea, and it's sold as a supplement for its antihistamine-like effects.

Rose hips in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Rose hips are a whole-food source of vitamin C, naturally concentrated enough that typical amounts in tea, jam.

Slippery elm bark in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Slippery elm bark is a gentle, coating herb people use for a scratchy throat or an upset stomach.

Spearmint leaf in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Spearmint leaf, taken as tea, is sometimes used as a gentler alternative to peppermint for reflux.

Calcium citrate in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Calcium citrate is a well-absorbed, generally safe way to help meet your pregnancy calcium needs.

Chromium in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Chromium's adequate intake in pregnancy is 30 mcg a day, and standard prenatal formulas sit near that.

Copper in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Copper is an essential mineral with a pregnancy RDA of 1,000 mcg a day, and typical diets already land in that range.

Iodine in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Iodine is an essential mineral your body uses to make thyroid hormone for your baby's brain and bone development.

Iron in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Iron as ferrous bisglycinate is generally considered safe in pregnancy and tends to be gentler on digestion than regular ferrous sulfate.

Magnesium glycinate in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Magnesium glycinate is generally considered safe during pregnancy at normal recommended amounts, and it's often gentler on digestion than magnesium oxide.

Magnesium in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Magnesium, taken as magnesium oxide, has a pregnancy RDA of about 350 to 360 mg a day and a supplemental upper limit of 350 mg a day beyond food.

Manganese in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Manganese is an essential trace mineral, and pregnancy calls for about 2 mg a day, an amount most people already get from grains, nuts, and tea.

Potassium in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Getting potassium from everyday food like bananas, potatoes, and orange juice is a normal, safe part of eating well in pregnancy.

Selenium in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Selenium is a trace mineral your thyroid depends on, and the pregnancy target is a narrow 60 mcg a day.

Zinc in pregnancy: evidence and safety

The recommended amount of zinc during pregnancy is 11 to 12 mg a day, with an upper limit of 40 mg.

Activated charcoal in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Activated charcoal is a porous carbon powder that binds substances inside the gut. In a hospital it has a genuine role after certain poisonings.

Alpha-Lipoic acid in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Alpha-lipoic acid is an antioxidant compound your cells make in small amounts and supplements deliver in much larger ones.

Inositol in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Inositol is a sugar alcohol your body makes and your diet supplies, studied in pregnancy at around 4 g a day for blood sugar outcomes.

L-Theanine in pregnancy: evidence and safety

L-theanine is an amino acid found in tea leaves and sold as a standalone calming supplement.

Biotin in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Biotin is a safe, everyday nutrient, and most pregnant women get enough from food and a prenatal vitamin even though a mild dip in biotin activity is.

Choline in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Choline is a brain-building nutrient most pregnant women fall short on, since the daily target is 450 mg and most prenatal vitamins contain little or none.

Folate in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Folate is the single most important nutrient to get right in pregnancy. This formula supplies about 1,470 mcg per serving.

Pantothenic acid in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Pantothenic acid, or vitamin B5, is a safe everyday nutrient your body uses to turn food into energy.

Riboflavin in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Riboflavin, or vitamin B2, is a safe everyday nutrient already covered by most prenatal vitamins.

Thiamine in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Thiamine (vitamin B1) is an essential nutrient that most people get enough of through diet and a standard prenatal vitamin.

Vitamin B12 in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Vitamin B12 helps build your baby's nervous system and keeps your red blood cells healthy, and most prenatal vitamins already cover what you need.

Vitamin B6 in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is ACOG's first choice for pregnancy nausea and is considered safe up to the NIH pregnancy limit of 100 mg per day.

Vitamin C in pregnancy: evidence and safety

The recommended amount of vitamin C in pregnancy is 85 mg a day, with an upper limit of 2,000 mg a day.

Vitamin D3 in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) has a pregnancy RDA of 600 IU a day and a safe upper limit of 4,000 IU a day.

Vitamin E in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Vitamin E at the pregnancy RDA of 15 mg a day is well established and easy to get from food.

Vitamin K in pregnancy: evidence and safety

Vitamin K from leafy greens and the modest amount in a prenatal is well tolerated, and no upper limit has been set.