Nutritional supplements in pregnancy: recommendations based on current evidence

Among the many factors affecting the outcome of pregnancy, the nutrition of the expectant mother plays an important role. Malnutrition is sometimes manifested by nutrient deficiencies and sometimes by over-nutrition. Another problem is the use of non-nutrient products in the hope of supporting nutrition. While some of these non-nutrients are produced and licensed as medicines, a considerable number of them are marketed as food supplements. The ingredients and preparation methods of food supplements are not as strictly controlled as those of medicines. When recommending a drug or product to patients, the goal should be to achieve a concretely defined benefit. It is not enough to simply assume that there will be no harm and that the ingredients of these substances are already naturally present in the body. The benefit/harm assessment of the substance used in terms of possible side effects, undesirable effects and drug interactions should be taken into consideration. When the group in question is pregnant women, it should be kept in mind that the differences in physiology in each week of pregnancy and the needs of the growing fetus and its resistance to external factors also vary. In our article, we tried to examine the products that are frequently used, recommended, prescribed and expected to positively affect pregnancy outcomes in terms of evidence-based medicine. As a result of our review, we found that the only products that have been shown to be beneficial in routine use are folic acid before pregnancy and in the first trimester and iron throughout pregnancy. For the other products, we concluded that it is valid to provide education about the importance of balanced and regular nutrition throughout life. .