Not enough evidence on benefits and risks, especially with excess doses, of multi-micronutrient supplements in pregnancy.
In low and middle-income countries, many women have poor diets and are deficient in nutrients and micronutrients which are required for good health. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that are only needed in very small quantities by the body but are important for normal functioning, growth and development. In pregnancy, with the need to provide nutrition for the baby too, these mothers often become even more deficient and this can impact, not only on their heath, but that of their babies too. The benefits of individual supplementation have been assessed elsewhere, but in this review the use of multi-micronutrient supplements was addressed. The review identified nine trials involving 15,378 women; all trials were undertaken in low or middle-income countries. There was a reduction in low birthweight and small-for-gestational-age babies and anaemia in mothers but these effects were lost when multi-micronutrient supplements were compared with iron folic acid supplements. However, more evidence of effect is needed. This is particularly so for any adverse effects, especially if excess doses are used.