Are collagen supplements safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about collagen supplements during pregnancy?

1. There isn't enough research on collagen peptides yet for the NIH to publish its own fact sheet on them. 1
2. Supplement brands aren't required to prove safety, effectiveness, or purity before selling a product, so heavy-metal content and label accuracy can differ a lot brand to brand. 2
3. Pregnancy raises your daily protein need to about 71 grams, a target most people can hit through food like eggs, dairy, beans, meat, fish, or tofu, no collagen supplement required. 3
4. The FDA has repeatedly warned about heavy-metal contamination in supplements generally, and collagen powders are on the list of products worth checking against third-party testing before you use them. 4

Is collagen supplements safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. There's no pregnancy-specific safety research on collagen yet. No red flags in general adult use isn't the same as proof it's safe in early pregnancy, so it's worth checking with your provider first.
• Second trimester. Same guidance as the first trimester. If you're already hitting your protein target, about 71 grams a day, through food, you don't need collagen on top of it.
• Third trimester. Same guidance continues into the third trimester.