The earliest weeks of pregnancy are a key window for nutrition. Specific nutrients support specific biological foundations, and the demands shift across trying to conceive, early pregnancy, later pregnancy and the postnatal period. NHS guidance gives the baseline. HerCode personalises the next layer.
UK preconception data
1 in 5 womenin England took folic acid before pregnancy in 2023–24.
Source: OHID, 2023–24. Down from around 1 in 4 in 2019–20. NHS guidance recommends folic acid before pregnancy and until 12 weeks.
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, including spina bifida. Ideally supplementation should begin at least three months before conception.
The neural tube closes very early, typically by around week 6, often before someone knows they are pregnant. That timing is the central reason preconception nutrition matters. Yet only around 1 in 5 women in England took folic acid before pregnancy in 2023–24, with the lowest uptake in the most deprived areas.
Some genetic variations are involved in folate metabolism and the wider one-carbon network (folate, B12, choline). HerCode does not replace NHS folic acid guidance. It helps personalise nutrition support around the folate-related pathways your body uses every day.
NHS guidance
Before pregnancy and until 12 weeks. Ideally starting at least three months before conception. This applies regardless of your DNA result.
What HerCode adds
Folate may be flagged as a higher-focus nutrient in your plan with the rationale, food sources and safety context explained.
What HerCode does not do
HerCode does not prevent neural tube defects. It does not diagnose deficiency. It does not predict pregnancy outcomes. NHS guidance and clinical care remain the foundation.
Each foundation is a biological area that pregnancy nutrition supports. Each links to specific nutrients, and where DNA is informative, HerCode personalises the guidance around the relevant nutrient pathways.
Pregnancy increases iron and B12 demand to support red blood cell formation and energy. Iron deficiency anaemia remains common in pregnancy despite routine NHS antenatal screening at booking and 28 weeks.
How DNA may help personalise this
Selected genes related to iron handling and B12 transport may suggest where additional focus is useful, alongside NHS antenatal screening.
NHS guidance recommends a daily 10 mcg vitamin D supplement throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding. Vitamin D supports normal calcium absorption and contributes to maintenance of normal bones.
How DNA may help personalise this
Selected genes involved in vitamin D synthesis, transport and activation may suggest where vitamin D support deserves more focus within safety limits.
Iodine is needed to make thyroid hormones, which are involved in early brain development. UK iodine intake in women of childbearing age sits below the WHO median adequacy threshold for non-pregnant women.
How DNA may help personalise this
Diet-pattern context (especially low dairy or low fish intake) and selected nutrient pathway markers can inform how iodine guidance is presented.
Maternal DHA intake supports normal fetal brain and eye development when intake conditions are met. DHA is found in oily fish, with algae-based supplements available for plant-based diets.
How DNA may help personalise this
Selected genes involved in fatty acid synthesis can inform whether dietary DHA may need more focus, especially on plant-forward diets.
Choline is part of the one-carbon nutrient network alongside folate and B12. It supports cell-membrane and methylation functions that are especially active in early pregnancy. Choline is often overlooked in standard prenatals.
How DNA may help personalise this
Selected genes involved in phosphatidylcholine synthesis and methylation can inform where choline-related guidance deserves more focus in your plan.
Nutrient demands don't end at delivery. Iron, vitamin D, B12, DHA and others continue to play a role in postnatal recovery and, if breastfeeding, in breastfed infant nutrition.
How DNA may help personalise this
The same nutrient pathway profile that informed your pregnancy plan continues to inform postnatal nutrition guidance, with stage-aware adjustments.
Around half of fertility difficulty in couples involves male factors. Sperm cells take roughly 90 days to develop, so the three months before trying to conceive is a meaningful window for nutrition support for the male partner too.
How DNA may help personalise this
HisCode applies the same DNA-informed nutrient pathway approach to male preconception nutrition, focused on the nutrients most relevant to sperm health.
Plant-forward, allergen-free or restrictive diets can shift which nutrients deserve more focus. B12, iron, iodine, DHA and choline are common watchpoints for plant-based eaters in pregnancy.
How HerCode helps personalise this
Your diet pattern is part of your plan profile. Combined with your DNA-informed result, it shapes which nutrients are flagged for closer attention.
This page is general education on pregnancy and fertility nutrition foundations. It is not personal medical advice. HerCode does not diagnose, treat or predict pregnancy complications. The product helps personalise nutrition guidance around nutrient pathways linked to fertility, pregnancy and postnatal health. Always follow NHS guidance, and speak to your GP, midwife or fertility specialist if you have a medical condition, previous pregnancy complication, or have been advised to take a prescribed dose.
HerCode adds personalisation on top of NHS guidance, using your stage, diet pattern and DNA-informed nutrient pathways to show what to prioritise, what level we recommend, and why.
