Nutrition Before Pregnancy
Whether you are planning a baby now or in the future, what you eat now plays a key role in the health of you and your baby.
If you could become pregnant:
- Eat a variety of foods each day.
- Take a multivitamin with 0.4 mg of folic acid in it each day. Start taking your supplement at least three months before you plan to become pregnant.
Why is nutrition important before I become pregnant?
What you eat before you become pregnant:
- Supports your health and wellbeing.
- Prepares your body for a healthy pregnancy.
- Helps you develop positive lifelong practices for you and your family.
- Helps with fertility.
What should I eat?
Use Canada’s Food Guide to help decide what foods to eat. Eat a variety of foods each day, including:
Why do I need to take a multivitamin with folic acid in it?
Folic acid is a vitamin that helps a baby’s spine, brain and skull develop properly. It is most important to a baby’s development in the early weeks of pregnancy, even before most people know they are pregnant.
Most people who could become pregnant will get enough folic acid by taking a multivitamin with 0.4 mg of folic acid in it every day and eating a variety of foods.
Some people may need to take a supplement that has more folic acid. If you have questions about how much folic acid you need, ask your health care provider.
Check out our Folic Acid Hi page to learn more about folic acid.
Do I need to take a multivitamin with folic acid if I am not planning to become pregnant?
Birth control can fail, and many pregnancies are unplanned. If you could become pregnant, take a multivitamin that has folic acid every day.
Check out our Folic Acid Hi page to learn more.
Services related to this information:
- Contact your Public Health Nurse
- 811 HealthLine/Dial-a-Dietitian (Newfoundland & Labrador) – Call 811 or 1-888-709-2929 / TTY 1-888-709-3555