Can prenatal vitamins help you get pregnant?

Can prenatal vitamins help you get pregnant?

Prenatal vitamins are not fertility drugs and won't directly help you conceive. Their purpose is to prepare your body nutritionally for a healthy pregnancy.

That said, there's an indirect relationship worth understanding. Correcting nutritional deficiencies can support overall reproductive health. And when your body has the nutrients it needs, you're creating a more favorable environment for conception and a healthy pregnancy.

RELATED: When should you start taking prenatal vitamins?

The nutrients that support reproductive health

Folate. A small 2018 clinical study followed 30 couples with at least four years of infertility and at least one partner carrying an MTHFR variant. After three months of folate supplementation, nearly half of the couples had conceived. While the study was small, it suggests that optimizing folate status may support fertility in some situations.

Vitamin D. Deficiency has been associated with reduced fertility in both women and men. Optimizing vitamin D levels may support ovulation and improve the uterine environment for implantation.

Iron. Adequate iron status has been associated with a lower risk of ovulatory infertility. Women who supplement with iron may have a lower risk of difficulty with ovulation compared to those who don't.

B vitamins. Regular use of a multivitamin containing B vitamins during preconception may decrease the risk of ovulatory infertility.

What actually determines how quickly you conceive

Conception depends on factors largely independent of vitamin intake: the timing of intercourse relative to ovulation, age, overall reproductive health, sperm quality, underlying conditions like PMOS/PCOS or endometriosis, body weight, and stress levels.

If you've been trying for 12 months without success (or six months if you're over 35), consulting a fertility specialist is the recommended next step. And remember that fertility is a two-person effort. Sperm health at the point of conception is just as important as egg health.

RELATED: Prenatal vitamins for men: A guide to supporting sperm health

A note from WeNatal on fertility and nutrition

WeNatal was designed as a his-and-hers system because the research is clear: both partners' nutrition in the months before conception influences pregnancy outcomes and the baby's long-term health. WeNatal for Her builds the nutrient reserves that matter most. WeNatal for Him supports sperm quality with CoQ10, zinc, selenium, and methylfolate. For women focused on egg quality during preconception, Egg Quality+ offers targeted mitochondrial and antioxidant support. Starting these supplements three to six months before trying gives both partners the strongest possible foundation.

RELATED: The ultimate preconception guide: What to do when you're ready to get pregnant

References

Chavarro JE, Rich-Edwards JW, Rosner BA, Willett WC. Iron intake and risk of ovulatory infertility. Obstet Gynecol. 2006;108(5):1145-1152. doi:10.1097/01.AOG.0000238333.37423.ab

Chavarro JE, Rich-Edwards JW, Rosner BA, Willett WC. Use of multivitamins, intake of B vitamins, and risk of ovulatory infertility. Fertil Steril. 2008;89(3):668-676. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2007.03.089

Cito G, Cocci A, Micelli E, et al. Vitamin D and Male Fertility: An Updated Review. World J Mens Health. 2020;38(2):164-177. doi:10.5534/wjmh.190057

Fung JL, Hartman TJ, Schleicher RL, Goldman MB. Association of vitamin D intake and serum levels with fertility: results from the Lifestyle and Fertility Study. Fertil Steril. 2017;108(2):302-311. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2017.05.037

Servy, E.J., Jacquesson-Fournols, L., Cohen, M. et al. MTHFR isoform carriers. 5-MTHF (5-methyl tetrahydrofolate) vs folic acid: a key to pregnancy outcome: a case series. J Assist Reprod Genet 35, 1431–1435 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-018-1225-2