A placebo-controlled comparative trial of various prenatal vitamin formulations in pregnant women

Abstract

The iron-delivery characteristics of three commercially available prenatal vitamin-mineral supplements were studied in a placebo-controlled, randomized cross-over comparison in 40 low-risk women during their second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Each formulation was ingested immediately after a standardized meal. The serum iron concentration was measured at one, three, and six hours after administration. With two of the supplements (Stuart-natal 1 + 1 and Stuart Prenatal tablets), the mean serum iron level at six hours was significantly higher than the mean level at three hours. In contrast, Materna gave the same mean serum level at three hours and at six hours. Calculations of the mean total number of milligrams of iron absorbed after a single dose were 5.7 for Stuart Prenatal, 5.2 for Stuartnatal 1 + 1, and 4.4 for Materna. The results from this study indicate that Stuartnatal 1 + 1, when administered correctly, does provide substantially more iron than the accepted daily requirement during pregnancy.