| Table 2: Commonly used pregnancy multivitamins - comparison of ingredients (per recommended daily dose) | ||||||||
| Elevit | Blackmores Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Gold | Clinicians PregaVit | Solgar Prenatal Vitamins | Thompsons Pregnacare | Radiance Pregnancy Multivitamin | Bronson Prenatal | Recommended daily intake (RDI) in pregnancy19 (obtained through diet and supplementation if required) | |
| Dose | One tablet daily | One tablet daily | Three capsules twice daily (6 caps/day) | Two tablets daily | One tablet twice daily | One capsule daily | One chewable tablet daily | |
| Calcium | 125 mg | 59 mg | 265 mg | 650 mg | 400 mg | 300 mg | 125 mg | RDI = 1000 mg/day. Do not exceed 2500 mg/day. |
| Folic Acid | 800 mcg | 250 mcg | 300 mcg | 400 mcg | 300 mcg | 200 mcg | 400 mcg | RDI = 400 mcg for prevention against neural tube defects. Do not exceed 1000 mcg/day. |
| Iodine | nil | 125 mcg | 50 mcg | 75 mcg | nil | 37.5 mcg | 75 mcg | RDI = 220 mcg/day. Do not exceed 1100 mcg/day. A supplementary intake of 150 mcg/day is recommended. |
| Iron | 60 mg | 5 mg | nil | 14 mg | 10 mg | 9 mg | 25 mg | RDI = 27 mg/day. Do not exceed 45 mg/day. A supplementary intake of 30 mg/day is suitable for all women in the second and third trimesters. |
| Vitamin A* | nil | 2880 mcg (carotenoids) = 2400 IU | 225 mcg (retinol) = 750 IU | 1800 mcg (beta carotene) + 4.8 mcg (carotenoids) = 3004 IU | 3000 mcg (beta carotene) = 5000 IU | 1500 mcg (beta carotene) = 2500 IU | 600 mcg (retinol) = 2000 IU | RDI (retinol) = 800 mcg/day (2667 IU). Do not exceed 10,000 IU/day. |
| Vitamin B12 | 4.0 mcg | 1.5 mcg | 25 mcg | 2 mcg | 12 mcg | 5 mcg | 7.5 mcg | RDI = 2.6 mcg/day. There is no upper level of intake. |
| Vitamin C | 100 mg | 30 mg | 42 mg | 25 mg | 160 mg | 30 mg | 60 mg | RDI = 60 mg/day Do not exceed 1000 mg/day. |
| Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) | 12.5 mcg = 500 IU | 6.25 mcg = 250 IU | 2.5 mcg = 100 IU | 2.5 mcg = 100 IU | 5 mcg = 200 IU | 2.5 mcg = 100 IU | 5.0 mcg = 200 IU | RDI = 200 IU/day. Do not exceed 3200 IU/day. |