Choline in pregnancy: how much, and from where

What choline is, and why it is overlooked

Choline is a nutrient found in foods like eggs, meat and fish. It is widely recognised as important during pregnancy, yet it is easy to fall short of. It gets overlooked partly because the UK, unlike some countries, has not set a reference intake for it, so it rarely gets attention and often shows up in small amounts, if at all, on prenatal labels. That gap is the reason to give it some attention.

How much, and why the UK has no set number

There is no official UK figure for choline. The most widely used reference, from the European food safety body, is an adequate intake of around 480 milligrams a day in pregnancy. Use it as a sensible target, and focus on getting choline regularly from food.

Food-first sources

Food is the reliable way to get choline, and a few sources stand out.

• Eggs, and the yolk in particular, are the standout. A couple of eggs go a long way toward a day's choline.
• Meat and fish contribute a useful amount.
• Some beans and cruciferous vegetables add smaller amounts.

If eggs are part of your week, you are likely doing better on choline than most.

Is your prenatal enough?

Many prenatals contain little or no choline, because it is bulky and there is no UK requirement to include much. Ours provides 100 mg of choline, from choline bitartrate. That covers a useful part of the day, though not the whole 480 mg target, which no sensible prenatal could, so food still matters. Use the supplement as a top-up and lean on eggs and the other sources for the rest. If choline is a priority for you, talk it through with your midwife.