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Updated: Oct 26, 2026

Modifying Levels of Maternal Dietary Folic Acid or Choline to Study the Impact of Deficiencies on Offspring Health Outcomes
Published on: June 28, 2024
Micronutrient supplementation during pregnancy: evidence, indications, and safety - Number 14 - 2026
Lílian de Paiva Rodrigues Hsu1, Eliana Martorano Amaral2, Adriana Gomes Luz2
1Santa Casa de São Paulo Faculdade de Ciências Médicas São PauloSP Brazil Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Abstract:
•Structured nutritional assessment during prenatal care is essential for rationalizing therapy and promoting equity in healthcare. •Decisions regarding micronutrient supplementation during pregnancy must distinguish between interventions offering population-level benefits (for populations with low micronutrient intake) and strategies based on individual risk. •Folic acid and iron remain the supplements most strongly supported by robust and consistent evidence. •Calcium supplementation reduces the risk of preeclampsia in populations with low dietary intake and is indicated for specific subgroups or populations with documented deficiency. •The indiscriminate prescription of multivitamins lacks consistent support in the literature and leads to unnecessary, excessive medicalization during prenatal care. •Evidence regarding universal supplementation with vitamin D, docosahexaeonic acid (DHA/omega-3), vitamin B12, and iodine is inconsistent. Such supplementation is indicated for specific subgroups or populations with documented deficiency. •Tailoring supplementation to the individual represents an advance in evidence-based practice without replacing interventions of proven population-level benefit.
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