November 07, 2025
Medically Reviewed By Elizabeth A. Swick, MS, RDN

Why Should I Take Mega Folate Plus When Pregnant?

Did you know that pregnancy is one of the most nutritionally demanding times in life? It’s incredible that the female body has this beautiful ability to create another human being from scratch! But surprisingly, research suggests most pregnant women are not meeting nutrient recommendations during this key period.¹

While all micronutrients are important, two of the most critical are choline and folate during pregnancy. Both play pivotal roles in both neural tube formation and brain development.

But maybe you are wondering, what is choline? Do I really need a choline supplement? Or, is folate or folic acid better pregnancy?

Let’s dive into these questions and more so you can better understand if Body Kitchen’s Mega Folate Plus is for you, and for that reassurance you have all the tools you need for your best pregnancy.

Does Mega Folate Plus Really Support Prenatal Health and Neurological Development?

The short answer is, yes! The premium forms of choline and folate offered in Mega Folate Plus absolutely support the body early in pregnancy during neural tube development.

This process eventually forms the brain and spinal cord, so nutrition is key in these early stages!

While a lot of credit has been given to folate during pregnancy, research has shown that choline plays an equally important role in this vital process.² Unfortunately, research also shows that upwards of 90% of women of childbearing age do not get enough choline from their diet.³

And even though folate is easy to get because we fortify many food products, it also can be low, especially if women have genetic mutations that decrease their ability to make the active form our body needs for fetal development.

And that’s why we formulated Mega Folate Plus. It combines the bioactive forms of folate, methyl-folate or 5-MTHF, with Vitacholine, a highly bioavailable source of choline, for optimal support during pregnancy.

Active Folate vs. Folic Acid: Why Bioavailability Matters

Is folate or folic acid better for pregnancy?

While we often use these terms interchangeably, the difference between folic acid and folate in pregnancy actually matters. Folic acid is a synthetic form of folate. Because it’s relatively stable and inexpensive, it’s a go-to for most supplement companies.

Unfortunately, folic acid requires extensive conversion in the body to be transformed into the active form, 5-MTHF. However, somewhere around 40% of women have a mutation that limits this conversion.⁴

That means if you have this MTHFR mutation, you may not have adequate levels of active folate in the bloodstream.

This is why BodyKitchen’s Mega Folate Plus uses Optifolin+, a patented form of folic acid that is active and doesn’t need any conversion to start doing its job. This ensures that you and your baby get the right amount of folate for things like:⁵

Proper formation of the neural tube early in pregnancy
DNA and red blood cell formation
Placental and cellular growth

So clearly, bioavailability of folate in pregnancy does matter. Talk with your doctor if you are concerned your current supplements are not up to the task.

Choline’s Role in Fetal Development and Cognition

So, what is choline? And why is this overlooked nutrient making waves in women’s health?

Choline is a nutrient that plays a role in many avenues of health:⁶

Neural tube formation
Fetal memory development
DNA and gene regulation
Cardiovascular health
Reducing risk for fatty liver
Maintaining healthy cell membranes

Specifically when it comes to choline for pregnancy, we know that choline plays a key supporting role in the first trimester, working alongside folate in forming the neural tube. But studies also suggest choline plays an equally important role in the 3^rd trimester, being a crucial element to proper brain formation and specifically related to cognition and memory development.⁷

Yet as we’ve seen, most women are not meeting the recommended intake levels, which are currently set at 450 mcg per day for pregnant women.

This can be met by including more choline rich foods daily. Foods high in choline include eggs, beef, milk, broccoli and eggs. But for vegetarians, vegans and picky eaters, this can be tough.

This is where again, BodyKitchen’s Mega Folate Plus shines. By using Vitacholine, a patented and highly absorbable form of choline, you can confidently meet your needs for choline in pregnancy without stress or worry.

Methylation Support: Protecting Your DNA and Cellular Health

Methylation may sound like a technical term, but it refers to a fundamental process our bodies use for DNA regulation. Sort of like an on/off switch, methylation helps our DNA activate when needed and shut down when not.

Interestingly, proper methylation requires both folate and choline, which donate methyl groups to aid in this process.

During pregnancy, methylation is crucial for:

Fetal growth and neural development
Proper placental functioning
Regulating genes that reduce the risk for birth defects and other pregnancy complications

And of course, these methylation functions continue far beyond pregnancy. Our bodies continue to benefit from the hard work of both folate and choline in keeping our cells functioning as they should and protecting and repairing our DNA.

Beyond Neural Tube Defects: Full Prenatal Benefit

While both choline and folate’s claim to fame are their benefits for neural tube development, they clearly offer so much more during this critical window of fetal development.

These nutrients also help with red blood cell formation, promoting rapid cell growth, supporting proper liver function, and providing key support for brain development.

And because these folate and choline benefits happen during various points during pregnancy, both early and late in the process, staying on top of these nutrients all throughout your pregnancy is important!

Final Thoughts

Adding a pre-natal vitamin is a great first step in overall pregnancy nutrition, but don’t stop there. For some, extra support in a few key areas is vital. “Active” vitamin forms may be more appropriate for some women who have genetic variants or known deficiencies that need targeted attention.

This is why BodyKitchen’s Mega Folate stands out. With Optifolin+ and Vitacholine, both patented and highly absorbable forms of both folate and choline, it fills two of the most critical gaps in prenatal nutrition – supporting neural tube formation and brain development, from day one.

Of course diet always comes first, so make sure to include choline rich foods and foods high in folate during pregnancy. By pairing a balanced diet with the right supplements, you can rest assured you are giving your baby the best start.

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