If you’re worried about getting the right nutrients and vitamins during pregnancy, the Pregnacare Max has everything you need. A brand you can trust, the pills have been endorsed by midwives. Our panel of mum testers loved the product, but advised not to take the pills on an empty stomach as they can leave you feeling nauseous.
Vitabiotics Pregnacare Max at a glance
“Pregnacare Max offers the ultimate formula in the range for mums-to-be who want the maximum nutritional support from Pregnacare. This advanced formula helps to safeguard daily intake of important nutrients during pregnancy. The dual pack provides 400mcg folic acid the exact level recommended by the UK Department of Health, incorporating the special, readily bioavailable form L - Methylfolate. Supplemental folic acid intake increases maternal folate status. Low maternal folate status is a risk factor in the development of neural tube defects in the developing foetus. Pregnacare Max tablets have been carefully formulated by experts to safeguard nutritional requirements during all of pregnancy.”
Would you recommend this to other mums?
Melissa: I would definitely recommend this product to other mums-to-be as I found it was reassuring to know I was getting all the required nutrients for my baby, as it states the product is recommended by midwives. Therefore, the reason I would recommend it is because it alleviated my concerns about getting each and every nutrient for a healthy pregnancy!
Samantha: I would definitely recommend this to any pregnant woman as the product encapsulates the vitamins and nutrients you need at this crucial time. I've always been one to take a small concoction of vitamins to suit my activity and physical needs and so it's nice to finally find something complete. I've been able to stop taking my iron tablets and the additional omega tablets and just use these instead.
Laura: The combination of vitamins and Omega-3 is supposed to help support the baby's development in lots of different ways, and this is reassuring during pregnancy. Pregnacare is obviously a trusted brand, too, and apparently, they work closely with the NCT. The box says that the vitamins help with baby's brain and eye development, bone health, blood formation and provide a unique range of nutrients.
Rachel: Pregnacare is the most recognised and in my opinion, the most trusted pregnancy supplement brand on the market and it is for this reason alone I'd recommend the product. I did however find it cumbersome that Pregnacare Max requires you to take three tablets a day, as I found two of them to be a little on the large side. I also found that if I took them on an empty stomach they made me feel very unwell, but it does clearly state not to do so on the packaging, so I’d definitely recommend other mums to follow the directions carefully.
Sarah: I would recommend Pregnacare Max as it contains everything that you and your baby need in one box, which lasts for 28 days. The instructions are very clear and the packets are clearly labelled with the days of the week so you won't forget to take them. This is a brilliant touch as pregnant women tend to be very forgetful! The size of the pills are perfect to swallow and they actually taste nice whilst they are in my mouth. I just leave them on top of the microwave where I can see them so I can take them with my meal.
How did this product make your life easier?
Melissa: This product has made life during pregnancy a little easier as I don’t have to worry about where I’m getting my nutrients anymore. However, I do feel that the vitamins and omega capsules should be packed together in daily doses, instead of the omega capsules being separate from the vitamins. This would make it easier to carry them around in a handbag as they would all be together.
Samantha: This saves so much time when it comes to shopping for vitamins. Rather than spending time reading the labels and cross-referencing with articles on how much I need, I can just buy a box and that will be enough to tie me over. It also saves on cupboard space and reduces the likelihood of taking too much of a vitamin or mineral.
Laura: Before I was asked to review these vitamins, I had already chosen to start using them during my pregnancy, having read about the benefits of Omega-3 alongside the other recommended vitamins. Vitamins are obviously a hard product to review as there is no proof that they have made an impact, but I have certainly felt as if I am doing the best for my little one by taking these and hope that they have helped her development.
Rachel: Taking Pregnacare Max is not about making life easier as a parent. The benefits of taking a supplement are very subjective and in the absence of a control test, the effects cannot be quantified. However, throughout my pregnancy, I have not suffered any vitamin or mineral deficiencies which can often occur. I'd like to think that taking the supplement has contributed to this!
Sarah: The fact that the packet is labelled with the days of the week definitely makes my life easier! I also found that the pills are an easy size to swallow as I have tried other brands and the pills were huge. The pack states everything that the pills and capsules contain, in plain text, which is easy to understand.
Would you choose this product to win?
Melissa: This product is definitely in my opinion, a winner. The packaging is nice and shows exactly what it's for - the 'recommended by Midwives ' bit is clear on the front. I do however think that the price of this product is quite high as there are many other products on the market that help support pregnancy adequately. High prices are off-putting when you are expecting a new baby as there are many things that need to be purchased and so I would question whether I could find a cheaper alternative with similar nutritional values.
Samantha: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's the only vitamin pack that has everything you need. It's a one-hit-wonder and I know they sell them in Boots so it's easy to buy. It's not often you find exactly what you need and from a brand you can trust. It's the Omega-3 that swings it for me, as I know it's something I don't get enough of and this reminds me that I need to take it.
Laura: Yes. They are expensive, but I looked into the cost of buying other pregnancy vitamins, and then Omega-3 separately, and these actually worked out better value for money (especially as they often have three for two offers at chemists)!
Rachel: I would choose a Pregnacare product over any other brand on the basis of their reputation for producing quality products. This particular one, Pregnacare Max, seems to be their premium product containing significantly higher amounts of key vitamins. I do however think that the packaging could do with some modernising perhaps.
Sarah: I wouldn't choose this product above all others on the market, purely because of the price, it seems expensive for a 28-day supply. Maybe if the supply was for three months I could justify spending that much money. Apart from the price, Pregnacare Max stands out above all others and is the best I have ever used.
What changes would you make to this product?
Melissa: If I could change one thing about this product it would be the price. I would also change the way in which the Omega-3 capsules and the vitamins are packaged, putting them all together in daily portions.
Samantha: This definitely isn't the most cost-effective solution, however, it's everything you need in one handy pill. However, I know this is a brand I can trust and I can feel the difference. They did aggravate my stomach slightly when I took them a few hours after eating, but I've been very unlucky with my morning sickness, so this probably wouldn't affect most.
Laura: The vitamin tablets are quite large and I find them a bit difficult to swallow, especially as you take two at once. The Omega-3 pills are smaller and easier to swallow, though. That is the only thing I can think of that's a negative.
Rachel: The one thing I think Pregnacare could consider changing is the size of the tablets. These are on the large size and, as a result, swallowing can be somewhat uncomfortable if you already have issues taking tablets. They wouldn't need to be significantly smaller, perhaps just slimmer.
Sarah: The only thing I would change is the price as it's a bit too expensive for me. Everything else has been thoroughly thought through and perfected from the box to the packaging of the tablets and capsules to the flavour of the pills.