According to scientists in the US, a diet which includes Iron, Folic Acid and vitamin supplementation during pregnancy may reduce birth complications.
What supplementation during pregnancy are needed
Almost 100,000 women were surveyed to find adverse birth outcomes experienced during pregnancy in this six year study. The participants were asked to follow four routine supplementation strategies before week 24 in their pregnancy: Folic Acid only, Iron only, Folic Acid and Iron only (IFAS), and Folic Acid, Iron (IFAS) and MMS (Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation during pregnancy which included essential Vitamins and Trace Minerals).
Researchers then analyzed how the rates of low-birth weight and other complications at birth (neonatal death, stillbirth, very preterm birth and preterm delivery) varied according to the supplements the participants started taking during pregnancy.
The women who were in the IFAS group had lower rates of most adverse birthing outcomes when compared with the women who took either only Folic Acid or only Iron. Low birth weight births were 16.92% in the Folic Acid group and 12.7% in the Iron only group. In the IFAS group the low birth weight births were 11.46%.
The participants in the IFAS + MMS saw significantly lower rates of preterm delivery, very preterm delivery, low birth weight, very low birth weight and caesarean delivery when compared to the IFAS group. Chek out the symptoms of pregnancy after IUI treatment that you should know.
Improving prenatal supplementation
The World Health Organization (WHO) universally recommends IFAS for pregnant women, however more than 43% of the women in the study received only Iron alone, Folic Acid alone and no MMS supplement.
So researchers concluded that these finding need to highlight the need for new strategies to improve prenatal supplementation among pregnant women. Read more about the mineral balancing act for happy living and strong health.
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