While swallowing a horse-sized pill full of nausea-inducing nutrients can make you want to vomit, it's important to keep taking your prenatal vitamins so you and your baby get the necessary nutrients. Your obstetrician can advise you on how to tweak your supplements to bypass nausea and vomiting while getting all the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin C

Why is the importance of prenatal vitamins? Prenatal vitamins provide all the vitamins and minerals that a mother-to-be's body is advised to consume each day before and during pregnancy. This helps guarantee that your developing baby also receives the nutrients they require. The common vitamin C is essential for some functions, including cell repair, collagen production (for the baby's skin, cartilage, and tendons), and lowering inflammation. It's also been shown to help reduce the risk of gestational diabetes and promote healing after delivery.

It's safe to take a vitamin C supplement while pregnant, and is often part of prenatal vitamins. However, it's important to talk to your OBGYN and nutritional expert to decide how much you need based on your diet and symptoms.

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, so it doesn't need to be taken with fat to be absorbed, making it easier on your stomach. Add citrus fruits and their juices to your diet, or consume other C-rich foods, like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, strawberries, cantaloupe, guava, and papaya. Eating iron-rich foods with a source of vitamin C is also helpful, as it helps your body absorb iron.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6, also called Pyridoxine, has been shown to reduce nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. It can be found in fortified cereals, non-citrus fruits, yams, lean meats, potatoes, and green beans. It is an essential nutrient that helps produce amino acids and other important hormones and neurotransmitters. Studies indicate it can also help with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and sideroblastic anemia.

Taking a Vitamin B6 supplement is safe in small doses for pregnant women. However, most women can get their required daily intake through a well-balanced diet and prenatal vitamins. High-dose supplements of Vitamin B6 can cause a condition called pyridoxine neuropathy, which causes numbness and tingling in the hands and feet.

If you are struggling with morning sickness, talk to your doctor about taking a vitamin B6 supplement paired with an antihistamine to help alleviate nausea. It is very effective, and there is no risk of harming the baby. However, avoiding taking any supplement unless your doctor prescribes it is best.

Magnesium

Getting enough magnesium during pregnancy is important, but it can be tricky when nausea keeps you from eating. That, in turn, can cause you to stop taking your prenatal vitamins—which you should never do.

If you're experiencing nausea at a particular time of day, try eating something before taking your supplements. A little food in your stomach can buffer the nauseating effects of prenatal vitamins, explains our registered dietitian.

Try a different form of magnesium supplement than the citrate you typically see in drugstores. Studies have shown that the body more easily absorbs magnesium glycinate.

You can also find magnesium in whole foods like seeds, nuts, beans, and leafy greens. If you need help boosting your diet with this mineral, talk to your OB or midwife for more tips.

Zinc

Zinc involves many essential biological functions, including DNA production and cell growth. Zinc deficiency is linked to low birth weight and preterm labor, so pregnant women must get enough of this nutrient.

Calcium helps keep your bones strong and is also used by your growing baby for bone development. You should consume 1,000 mg of calcium daily; prenatal vitamins typically contain 200 to 300 mg.

Vitamin D is also required for your body to absorb calcium, and you need about 600 international units daily during pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins often contain 200 to 400 IU of vitamin D.

If you have difficulty swallowing pills or are nauseous from morning sickness, talk to your doctor about taking powdered or gummy prenatal vitamins. 

Iron

Pregnant women need many nutrients, including folic acid, iron, and calcium.

Folic acid decreases the incidence of neural tube defects like spina bifida. It is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for all women who are trying to conceive and those who are pregnant. 

Most prenatal vitamins contain folic acid. It's important for women of childbearing age to start taking folic acid at least four weeks before becoming pregnant and to continue supplementation throughout pregnancy. Iron is essential for healthy blood cells and the transportation of oxygen to your baby. Low iron is common in pregnancy and can lead to anemia.

Eating meat, dairy, eggs, fish, nuts, beans, and dark green vegetables is the best way to get iron during pregnancy. If nausea makes it difficult to eat these foods, try a chewable or gummy prenatal vitamin that contains iron, as these are often easier to tolerate during morning sickness. If you struggle to absorb iron through food, talk with your doctor about a vitamin or supplement with the right amount of iron.