Dietary vitamin, mineral and herbal supplement use: a cross-sectional survey of before and during pregnancy use in Sydney, Australia.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the use of dietary vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements before and during pregnancy.


METHODS
Pregnant women attending for antenatal care at two tertiary Sydney hospitals between January and March 2014 completed an anonymous survey. Information on general maternal and pregnancy characteristics and the use of dietary and herbal supplements, including type, duration and sources of information, was collected. Frequency and contingency tabulations were performed.


RESULTS
A total of 612 women agreed to participate (91% response rate). Of 589 women included in the analysis, mean gestational age at the time of survey was 28.5 weeks (SD 8.3), 55% had no children, and 67% were tertiary-educated. Overall, 62.9% of women reported taking a multivitamin (MV) and/or folic acid (FA) supplement in the 3 months prepregnancy, and 97.5% took a MV and/or FA in the first trimester. At the time of the survey, 93.8% of women were taking at least one supplement (median 2, range 1-13). During pregnancy, 79.1% of women were taking MVs, including 59.2% taking MV only and 19.9% taking MV and FA. The five most common supplements outside of a MV were FA (31%), iron (30%), vitamin D (23%), calcium (13%) and fish oil (12%). Reported herbal supplement rates were low.


CONCLUSIONS
Folic acid, MVs and other supplements use during and prepregnancy is relatively high, although prepregnancy FA supplementation rates could still be improved. Further research on the actual dosages and dietary intakes consumed is needed to examine whether pregnant women have adequate intake of nutrients, regardless of supplement use.
Clinical and Population Perinatal Health Research, Kolling Institute, University of Sydney, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.|Department of Obstetrics, Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
Antonia W
AW
Shand
Department of Obstetrics, Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
Mariyam
M
Walls
Clinical and Population Perinatal Health Research, Kolling Institute, University of Sydney, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.|University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Rahul
R
Chatterjee
Clinical and Population Perinatal Health Research, Kolling Institute, University of Sydney, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.
Natasha
N
Nassar
Clinical and Population Perinatal Health Research, Kolling Institute, University of Sydney, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.
Amina Z
AZ
Khambalia
D000328:Adult; D002118:Calcium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008903:Minerals / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009517:New South Wales; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D055815:Young Adult
D005395:Fish Oils; D008903:Minerals; D028321:Plant Preparations; D014815:Vitamins; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D014807:Vitamin D; D005492:Folic Acid; D007501:Iron; D002118:Calcium
dietary supplements; multivitamins; pregnancy; vitamins