Prenatal Vitamin Research

Prenatal vitamin research is intended to assess the effects of particular vitamins and minerals on pregnancy and a developing baby. It also focuses on how well a particular prenatal vitamin or multinutrient supplement is absorbed -- that is, how effective is this particular formulation in getting Vitamin A, for example, at the right concentrations to be useful to the mother and baby. Another concern is the quality of prenatal vitamin formulations.

Prenatal Vitamins

The term "prenatal vitamins" usually refers to multinutrient supplement containing both vitamins and minerals such as iron. Prenatal vitamins differ from the usual adult multivitamin in that the mix of nutrients typically contains higher levels of folic acid, calcium and iron necessary for the developing baby.

Research on Health Effects

There has been considerable research on the importance of a range of nutrients taken prenatally. Research on the role of folic acid in preventing neural tube defects has led the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists to recommend every pregnant woman get adequate levels of folic acid. The Mayo Clinic urges women to begin their folic acid regime three months before they intend to become pregnant. In another study, researchers from Johns Hopkins documented that Vitamin A given prenatally promotes lung development in children, even 10 years after birth. Some research is investigating the optimal levels of nutrients needed during pregnancy, which is not well known. "Science Daily" summarized a recent study finding that even with multivitamins, seven out of 10 pregnant women are not getting enough Vitamin D.

Research on Bioavailability

Research also has looked at whether multivitamins can be easily absorbed and used when ingested. Several reports have raised questions about whether the forms of the nutrients in prenatal vitamins actually translate into serum levels meeting the recommended daily allowances. A report in the "American Journal of the Pharmacology Association," for example, found only 0ne-third of prescription multivitamins tested met the industry standards for folic acid.

Research on Quality

According to ConsumerSearch, some research has focused on contaminants in prenatal vitamins, lead being a serious one, since the World Health Organization cites it as the leading cause of mental retardation worldwide. Quality research has also investigated whether multivitamins contain everything they claim to contain. Research covered by MSNBC, for example, reported that many multivitamins do not contain the levels of iodine they claim on their labels

Considerations

Despite nearly universal agreement that pregnant women should take multivitamin supplements to ensure healthy pregnancies, there remains the need for further research into their biological effects, the optimal levels of certain vitamins and minerals needed, and on the forms of these nutrients most easily absorbed by the body. In addition, research into the quality of prenatal vitamins raises questions about the oversight needed.