Pregnant women do need nutritional supplements, says advisory group

Women are targeted for intensive marketing when they become pregnant, and are told that multi-vitamin supplements are good for them and their baby. But they’re a waste of money for most women, who get all the nutrition they need from the food they eat, claims a report in the medical journal, Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin.

There’s no clinical benefit in taking the vitamins, claims the report – but then there wouldn’t be, says Dr Carrie Ruxton, from the Health Supplements Information Service. “The role of food supplements is simply to combat dietary gaps,” she says.

Only 30 per cent of UK women are eating their five-a-day fruits and vegetables, and just 11 per cent eat oily fish, which helps the fetus develop a healthy brain and eyes.

(Source: Drug & Therapeutics Bulletin, 2016; doi: 10.1136/dtb.2016.7.0414)

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