Maternal Supplement Use During Pregnancy

Abstract

Background: There is little consensus regarding the need for vitamin and mineral supplementation during pregnancy. The composition and use of supplements among pregnant women varies greatly. Toxicity or inadequacy of nutrients could have health effects on the mother and fetus. A recent study reported inadequate micronutrient consumption in United States pregnant women (1), supporting the need for supplementation. Objective: The purpose of this project is to determine the frequency of supplementation among a sample of low to middle-class pregnant women in the Kansas City metropolitan area and determine if consumed supplements favor the Institute of Medicine's Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) guidelines. Design: A subset of women (n=231) enrolled in a phase III clinical trial from 2006-2010 provided information regarding use of supplements. Nutrient intakes during pregnancy are reported as means ± SD. One way ANOVAs and Pearson Chi Square tests were also used for other analyses. Results: Women reported consuming a nutritional supplement before, during or after pregnancy were 50%, 100%, and 35%, respectively. Supplement use before pregnancy was impacted by previously known cofactors. Mean micronutrient intake from supplements was below the RDA or AI for vitamin D, calcium, and iron, while vitamin C and folic acid were found to be excessive. Median intakes of choline and iodine were zero. Conclusions: Supplementation during pregnancy was common in this cohort but individual formulations varied. As a public health message, it would be beneficial for formulations of prenatal supplements to be standardized to ensure women consume nutrients vital to the developing fetus.