Prenatal multivitamins reduce risk of low birth weight

Saturday  June 13, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- Taking multivitamin supplements during pregnancy may reduce the risk of low birth weight compared to supplementation of iron and folate alone, according to a study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

  Currently the World Health Organization recommends use of iron-folic acid supplements for all pregnant women, states a press release by the Journal.

  Previous studies have shown no advantage of taking multivitamins over iron-folic acid supplementation.

  The current study meta-analyzed the results of 13 studies published worldwide and found that taking multivitamins during pregnancy was associated with a 17 to 19 percent reduced risk of low birth weight compared to taking iron-folic acid supplementation.

  The study also found use of multivitamins increased birth weight by 54 grams.

  "Low birth weight and related complications are considered the most common cause of global infant mortality under the age of 5 years," wrote Dr. Prakash Shah and study co-authors from Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto.

  "With the possibility of reducing low birth weight rates by 17 percent, micronutrients supplementation to pregnant women, we believe, offers the highest possible return for the investment," wrote researchers.

  Worldwide, an estimated 133 million babies are born each year. Of that total, approximately 15.5 percent are born with low birth weight. The finding means that taking multivitamins may potentially help avoid 1.5 million cases of low birth weight each year globally, according to researchers.

  Dr. Zulfiqar Bhutta and Dr. Batool Azra Haider of the Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan recommended that prenatal multi-micronutrient supplementation replace iron and folate supplements in susceptible populations if it is proven safe and effective.

  Low birth weight is a major risk factor for infant mortality, according to a study published by MC McCormick in the Jan 10, 1985 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. 

  Researchers say it's not quite clear how multivitamins impact infant mortality. It is estimated that more women in the United States take prenatal vitamins than women in poorer countries. However, infant mortality in the country is ranked among the highest, according to a report released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Oct. 15, 2008. 

(David Liu and edited by Sheilah Dwoney)