Pregnancy is a big change for any expectant mother. From babyproofing the house to preparing a nursery and changing your financial plan, there are a lot of things that are going to shift once a baby is in the future.

Along with all of those things, is your diet. The food you eat now feeds you and the baby growing inside you.

As the baby grows, you’ll need to eat a little more, and your diet should include complex carbs, healthy fats, and protein to keep you and the baby strong.

More specifically, there are a few nutrients you’ll want to make sure are part of your diet.

Folic Acid

First is folic acid (or folate), a B vitamin your body needs for healthy growth and development, especially during the first trimester.

Taking folic acid before and during the first trimester greatly reduces the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs), serious birth defects of the brain and spine such as spina bifida and anencephaly. Research suggests folic acid, often taken as part of a multivitamin, may also lower the risk of some other birth defects, such as certain heart defects, though that evidence is less certain. Women are advised to take 400 mcg of folic acid every day beginning one month before conception and through the first 12 weeks of pregnancy for the best results. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends a daily supplement with 400 to 800 mcg of folic acid for anyone who is planning to or could become pregnant.

Folic acid supplements are inexpensive and available over the counter. That said, there are more natural ways to intake folic acid, or its natural form, folate.

One way is through “fortified” or “enriched” grain products, including bread, breakfast cereals, cornmeal, flour, pasta, and products made from a kind of flour called corn masa, like tortillas, tortilla chips, taco shells, tamales, and pupusas.

You also can get folate from some fruits and vegetables, including leafy green vegetables, like spinach and broccoli, lentils and beans, citrus fruits, and orange juice.

DHA

DHA stands for docosahexaenoic acid. It’s a kind of omega-3 fatty acid that is incorporated into nearly every nerve cell in the body and helps with growth and development, specifically of the baby’s nervous system.

During pregnancy, you need 200 milligrams of DHA each day. You can get DHA through some prenatal vitamins and DHA supplements. It can also be found in a number of foods, including fish that are low in mercury, like herring, salmon, trout, anchovies, and halibut, as well as orange juice, milk, and eggs that have DHA added to them (check the label).

Iron

Did you know that you need twice as much iron when you’re pregnant? Your body uses iron to make more blood so it can carry oxygen to your baby. Your baby needs it to produce its own blood.

Most prenatal vitamins contain the 27 milligrams of iron you need during pregnancy. However, there are some foods that are a good source of iron, including lean meat, poultry, seafood, leafy green vegetables, beans, nuts, raisins and other dried fruits, and cereal, bread, and pasta that have iron added to them (check the label).

Calcium

Calcium is a nutrient we always need to help support strong bones, teeth, and muscles. It provides the same benefits for your growing baby.

During pregnancy, you need 1,000 milligrams of calcium each day. That can come from your prenatal vitamins as well as eating foods rich in calcium, like milk and dairy products, broccoli, kale, and some orange juice that has calcium added to it (check the label).

Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps your body absorb the calcium it needs, along with supporting healthy nerves, muscles, and immune system function. Your baby needs vitamin D to help their bones and teeth grow.

You can get the advised 600 IU (international units) of vitamin D each day through prenatal vitamins as well as foods, including fatty fish like salmon, and milk and cereal that has vitamin D added to it (check the label).

How much folate do you need during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, your body’s total need for folate from all sources rises to 600 micrograms of dietary folate equivalents (mcg DFE) a day, up from 400 mcg DFE before pregnancy, according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. DFE is a unit that accounts for the fact that your body absorbs folic acid from vitamins and fortified foods better than the folate found naturally in food. A daily prenatal vitamin plus a folate-rich diet helps most people reach that goal.

A Few More Nutrients to Know About

These five nutrients aren’t the whole story. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) also lists choline, B vitamins, and vitamin C among the nutrients you need during pregnancy. ACOG notes that experts recommend 450 milligrams of choline each day during pregnancy, so ask your provider how to meet that goal.

Should you take a prenatal vitamin?

Most health care providers recommend that people who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy take a daily prenatal vitamin along with eating a healthy diet. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans note this can be especially important for meeting higher needs for folate and folic acid, iron, iodine, and vitamin D. ACOG adds that eating healthy foods and taking a prenatal vitamin every day should supply the vitamins and minerals you need during pregnancy. Talk with your provider about which prenatal vitamin is right for you, especially if you have other health conditions.

Updated October 2026. This article is for general information and is not a substitute for advice from your health care provider.

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