Have you ever asked why you need to take prenatal vitamins? Good question! Most of the vitamins included in the prenatal supplement's can be found in the food you eat; however, the effectiveness of the vitamins comes down to getting the right amount. For example, there are two specific vitamins that are really important, folate and iron. Extra folate is especially needed to prevent neural tube defects in your baby and promote healthy brain development. The extra iron is needed because when you become pregnant your blood volume increases, therefore, your iron level is more saturated between you and your baby. This is the reason why women are more likely to become iron deficient (anemic) during pregnancy.