Multi-Vitamins have no benefit in pregnancy

Researchers have found that taking multivitamins whilst pregnant does not improve the health of mother or baby, despite marketing claims.

The NHS recommends that pregnant women should eat a healthy and balanced diet, alongside Folic Acid and Vitamin D. Folic Acid and Vitamin D are the only supplements that researchers found to have a benefit to mother and baby. All other vitamins assessed presented no obvious clinical benefit.

The research, published in the Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin, involved a critical analysis of guidelines and research assessing the effects of folic acid, vitamin D, iron, vitamins C, E, and A, and multivitamin supplements.  The researchers noted that a large proportion of the evidence used to support marketing claims, comes from low income countries, where women are more likely to be malnourished or undernourished, and therefore does not reflect to the wider UK population.

A spokespersons from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), Dr Virginia Beckett advises:

“A nutritious diet and physical activity will benefit both women and their babies during pregnancy.  While most vitamins and minerals come from our diet, it is common for people in the UK to be low in vitamin D and folic acid, which are important in pregnancy.  We agree with the authors that, for most women, a healthy diet along with taking supplements of folic acid prior to conception and during the first 12 weeks of gestation, and a supplement of vitamin D throughout pregnancy and if breast feeding, is enough to give their child the best start in life.”

“While we recognise that many women may prefer to take a multivitamin tablet throughout their pregnancy, particularly if they find it difficult to ensure a healthy, balanced diet, they should always seek advice from their GP or midwife. Multivitamin supplements that are not made specifically for pregnant women are not usually recommended as they may contain high levels of other vitamins, such as vitamin A, which may be harmful to the baby.”

For more information on staying healthy during pregnancy, see our Be Healthy guide.

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