A clearer way to choose the nutrients that matter for you.
Pregnancy nutrition isn't one-size-fits-all. HerCode adds personalisation on top of NHS guidance - using your DNA, life stage and diet pattern to show what to prioritise, what level we recommend, and why.
£249 · At-home kit, lab analysis & private digital report · Free UK shipping
- At-home cheek swab
- Priority nutrient guidance
- Personalised levels
- Safety-aware plan
Your DNA does not diagnose deficiency or predict pregnancy outcomes. It helps us personalise nutrient pathway guidance, with NHS guidance, reference intakes and safety limits as the foundation.
Your priorities, levels and why
Pregnancy nutrition begins before the first scan.
The earliest weeks of pregnancy are a key window for nutrition. NHS guidance recommends folic acid before pregnancy and until 12 weeks to help reduce the risk of neural tube defects - yet many people start later than guidance suggests.
-
Stage matters. Nutrient demands shift between trying to conceive, early pregnancy and beyond.
-
Diet patterns matter. Plant-forward, allergen-free or selective diets may need different nutrient focus.
-
Your biology matters. Some genes are involved in nutrient pathways and can affect how much support you need.
in England took folic acid before pregnancy in 2023–24.
Source: OHID, 2023–24. Down from around 1 in 4 in 2019–20.
NHS guidance is the foundation. Personalisation is the next layer - built around your stage, diet pattern and DNA-informed nutrient pathways.
Stop guessing between pregnancy supplements.
Walk down the supplement aisle and every prenatal claims to be the right one. Different nutrients, different doses, different priorities, all asking you to choose before you know what you actually need.
HerCode works the other way around. We start with NHS guidance, then use your DNA, life stage and diet pattern to show which nutrients deserve more focus, what level we recommend, and where to avoid duplicating what you already get.
Know what to prioritise
Treats every nutrient as equally important.
Highlights the nutrients that may deserve more attention for you.
Understand the level
One dose, one formula, same for everyone.
Recommends a different level within safety limits where your result suggests it.
Stay consistent
No reason given, no reason to remember.
Explains why certain nutrients matter, so they're easier to take consistently.
Avoid unnecessary stacking
More products, more nutrients, more is better.
More is not always better. Helps you avoid doubling up unnecessarily.
Different by design.
HerCode is not a supplement. It's the decision system that tells you which nutrients to prioritise, what level we recommend, and how each choice stays safety-aware.
- £249, one-off
- No subscription
- Includes lab analysis
- Anchored in NHS, NICE and SACN guidance
- Personalised around DNA, stage and diet pattern
- Built around priority nutrients and recommended levels
- Checked against reference intakes and safety limits
Personalised means your plan can change.
Personalisation isn't just a nicer way to explain generic advice. It can change which nutrients we prioritise, what level we recommend, and where to be more cautious about taking too much.
Folate, and why your plan may focus on it.
Folate is one of the best-established nutrients in early pregnancy. NHS guidance recommends folic acid before pregnancy and until 12 weeks to help reduce the risk of neural tube defects. Your DNA-informed plan does not replace that guidance. It helps us personalise support around the wider folate-related nutrient pathways your body uses every day.
Some genetic variations are involved in folate metabolism and the wider one-carbon network. If your result suggests this pathway may need more focus, your plan can recommend a different folate-supporting level within safety limits, while keeping NHS folic acid guidance as the foundation.
400 mcg folic acid daily before pregnancy and until 12 weeks.
Markers in folate metabolism pathways are interpreted.
Folate may be flagged as a higher-focus nutrient with the rationale explained.
NHS folic acid guidance remains the foundation, not the ceiling.
Genes we look at across nutrient pathways
- MTHFR
- BHMT
- PEMT
- FUT2
- VDR
- GC
- BCMO1
- FADS1
- FADS2
- TCN2
- TMPRSS6
HerCode interprets selected markers across these nutrient-related genes. Specific markers, scoring rules and recommendation logic are proprietary to HerCode.
Four ways your plan can be personalised
Priority nutrients
Your report shows which nutrients deserve the most attention for your stage, diet pattern and DNA-informed pathway profile.
Personalised levels
Where appropriate, your plan can recommend a different nutrient level within safety limits, rather than giving everyone the same formula.
Consistency cues
If a nutrient is especially relevant to you, your report explains why it is worth taking consistently, not just occasionally.
Safety-aware guidance
Recommendations are checked against reference intakes, upper limits and safety notes. More is not always better.
HerCode does not diagnose deficiency, predict pregnancy outcomes or replace clinical advice. Your plan flexes around your stage, diet and DNA result, while NHS, NICE and SACN guidance remain the foundation.
From cheek swab to a clearer plan.
HerCode connects pregnancy biology to your DNA result, then translates it into practical priorities for your stage and diet pattern. Here's the chain, with one example following the path.
Step 01
Health foundation
A biological area that pregnancy nutrition supports.
Step 02
Nutrients involved
The nutrients linked to that foundation in NHS guidance.
Step 03
DNA-informed pathways
Selected genes related to how those nutrients are used.
Step 04
Personalised plan
Priority, recommended level and rationale, anchored to NHS guidance.
Step 05
Practical action
Food sources, routine cues and safety notes you can use day to day.
Early neural tube development
The first 12 weeks of pregnancy.Folate, B12, choline
One-carbon metabolism network.MTHFR, BHMT, PEMT
Selected nutrient-related genes.Folate flagged as higher focus
Within NHS-aligned safety limits.Take folic acid, plus food sources
Leafy greens, pulses, fortified grains.One nutrient, shown in full.
This is what one nutrient looks like inside the HerCode portal. Your full report covers 9 nutrients, each presented this way, with the rationale for your result and how to act on it.
Personal nutrition report
Your personalised nutrition plan
Your results highlight how your body may process key nutrients linked to fertility, preconception and early pregnancy preparation.
Vitamin B12
Higher focusThis target reflects your genetic result and the pregnancy nutrition reference range.
Target context
How your personalised target compares with general pregnancy guidance.
1.5 mcg
UK RNI; no UK SUL or EU UL set.100 mcg
Based on your genetic result.+98.5 mcg
Higher than general guidance.None set
No established upper limit for B12.Nutrient overview
Vitamin B12 is a B vitamin needed for red blood cell formation, nerve function and DNA production. It works closely with folate in methylation and other one-carbon pathways.
B12 supports healthy cell division and red blood cell formation, both of which are important during pregnancy. People who eat little or no animal products may need more focus.
Food sources
Examples to include in your diet.
Your personalised guidance
Your genetics indicate notably reduced B12 absorption, transport or recycling. The pregnancy RNI is 1.5 mcg/day total intake. Supplemental doses around 100 mcg are well tolerated because B12 absorption is inefficient and the nutrient has no established upper limit. A daily supplemental dose around 100 mcg may help maintain methylation and red blood cell formation during pregnancy.
B12 has no established upper limit. Standard prenatals contain 5-25 mcg even though the RNI is 1.5 mcg, because absorption is inefficient. Methylcobalamin is often preferred for users with reduced absorption. If you take prescribed medication or are managing a condition, discuss any change with your GP, midwife or qualified healthcare professional.
Each is shown in the same structure: target, target context, nutrient overview, food sources, personalised guidance and safety notes.
Built carefully, so your plan can feel calm.
Pregnancy nutrition is a category that needs to be taken seriously. HerCode is built around three commitments: anchored science, safety-aware recommendations, and privacy-conscious handling of your DNA data.
Anchored, not invented.
Every recommendation is built on top of NHS, NICE and SACN guidance. We add personalisation, we don't override the foundation.
- NHS-aligned guidance is the floor for every nutrient target.
- Nutrient-related markers across published genes including MTHFR, BHMT, PEMT, FUT2, VDR.
- Selected, reviewed markers only. Not ancestry, not disease prediction.
Conservative by design.
Personalisation has to stay within safety limits. Recommendations are checked against reference intakes, upper limits and stage-aware guidance.
- Reference intakes and upper limits checked on every recommendation.
- Pregnancy-aware safety notes flag where caution is needed.
- More is not always better is a rule, not a marketing line.
Used only for your plan.
Your DNA result is used to generate your personalised report and nothing else. It is never sold, never used for advertising and never shared without your consent.
- Your data, your plan. No third-party advertising use, ever.
- Consent-led data handling, with clear options to access or delete.
- UK-handled, with secure, controlled processing.
HerCode does not diagnose deficiency, predict pregnancy outcomes or replace clinical advice. If you are trying to conceive, pregnant, taking medication, or managing a health condition, please discuss any supplement or nutrition change with your GP, midwife, or qualified healthcare professional. Read more about how your DNA data is handled.
Clear answers before you get started.
HerCode is designed to make fertility and pregnancy nutrition easier to act on, not more complicated. These are the questions people most often ask before choosing a DNA-informed plan.
HerCode personalises pregnancy nutrition guidance around your stage, diet pattern and DNA result.
NHS, NICE and SACN guidance remain the foundation. We add a layer, we don't replace it.
Your DNA result is used only to generate your plan. It is never sold or used for advertising.
Why not just take a standard pregnancy supplement?
Standard prenatals can be useful, but they generally apply the same formula to everyone. Pregnancy supplements vary widely in which nutrients they include, what doses they use, and which stage they target. That makes it hard to know whether the one in your hand is right for you.
HerCode helps you cut through that by connecting your DNA-informed nutrient pathways, life stage and diet pattern to a clearer picture of which nutrients to prioritise, what level we recommend, and why.
What's included for £249?
Your one-off £249 includes:
An at-home cheek swab kit, sent to you with simple instructions and free UK shipping.
Lab analysis of selected nutrient-related genetic markers.
Your private digital report, accessible through your portal, covering 9 nutrients with priorities, recommended levels, food sources, personalised guidance and safety notes.
No subscription required.
How long does it take to get my report?
Once your sample is received at the lab, your report is typically ready in your private portal within two weeks. You'll be notified by email when it's ready to view.
If you'd like the precise current turnaround time, please get in touch and we'll let you know.
Does my DNA change what you recommend?
Your DNA result can affect how a nutrient is presented in your plan. Some genes are involved in nutrient pathways. Where your result suggests a pathway may need more focus, your plan can recommend a different nutrient level within safety limits, or flag a nutrient as a higher-focus area.
NHS guidance always remains the foundation of your plan, regardless of your DNA result.
Can genes influence how much folate I may need?
Some genetic variations are involved in folate metabolism and the wider one-carbon nutrient network. Your HerCode result can help personalise how folate-related guidance is presented in your plan.
However, NHS folic acid guidance applies regardless of your DNA result. Folic acid before pregnancy and until 12 weeks helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects, and that guidance is the foundation of your plan. We add personalisation around it, we don't override it.
Does HerCode prevent neural tube defects?
No, HerCode does not prevent neural tube defects. NHS guidance recommends 400 micrograms of folic acid daily before pregnancy and until 12 weeks to help reduce the risk of neural tube defects, including spina bifida.
HerCode personalises nutrition guidance around folate-related pathways, but the NHS folic acid recommendation applies to you regardless of your DNA result. If you have been advised by a clinician to take a different dose for a specific reason, follow that clinical advice.
I've heard about MTHFR. Should I be taking methylfolate?
Common MTHFR variants are widely discussed online and frequently overinterpreted. NHS East Genomics notes that common MTHFR variants are not usually clinically useful to test for, and that pregnant women with these variants are recommended to take the standard folic acid dose unless another high-dose indication exists.
CDC guidance states that 400 mcg of folic acid daily helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects even if someone has an MTHFR variant, and that taking more than the recommended amount is not necessarily better unless a doctor advises it.
HerCode does not tell you to swap to methylfolate or take a higher dose on the basis of a single gene. We follow NHS guidance, and we are honest about what the science actually supports.
What does "priority nutrient" mean?
A nutrient flagged as a priority means it may deserve more focus in your plan, based on a combination of your stage, diet pattern and DNA-informed nutrient pathway profile. It does not mean you are deficient.
Priority nutrients are accompanied by a recommended level (within safety limits), food sources, and a plain-English explanation of why the priority applies to you.
Is more always better?
No. Some nutrients have established upper limits, and some are safety-sensitive in pregnancy specifically. HerCode is conservative on dose by design. Recommendations are checked against reference intakes, upper limits and pregnancy-aware guidance.
Where guidance specifies a dose (for example folic acid at 400 mcg daily), we don't recommend higher unless you have been clinically advised to.
Is HerCode for me if I'm already pregnant?
HerCode is designed to support fertility, preconception and early pregnancy nutrition. If you are already pregnant, your plan will reflect that stage and emphasise nutrients most relevant to ongoing pregnancy nutrition.
If you have a medical condition, are taking prescribed medication, or have been advised by a clinician on a specific supplement protocol, please discuss any change with your GP, midwife or qualified healthcare professional.
Does this replace advice from my GP or midwife?
No. HerCode is a nutrition guidance product, not a clinical service. It does not diagnose, treat or predict pregnancy outcomes. Your GP, midwife and antenatal team remain your primary clinical care.
HerCode is designed to sit alongside that care, helping you make informed nutrition choices with NHS guidance as the foundation.
How is my DNA information used?
Your DNA result is used to generate your personalised report and nothing else. It is never sold to third parties for advertising. We don't use it for ancestry, family relationship analysis, or disease prediction.
You can read more about how your DNA data is collected, stored, used and deleted on our DNA Privacy page.
HerCode is designed to support informed nutrition choices for fertility and pregnancy preparation. It is not a diagnostic test and does not replace medical care.