But they should ignore the marketing hype and focus on improving their diet and only take folic acid and vitamin D as recommended by the NHS.
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It found that folic acid had the strongest evidence to support national United Kingdom guidance, which recommends that women take 400 ug of folic acid daily from before, until 12 weeks of, pregnancy.
The supplements normally cost around £15 (roughly $19) per month.
Pregnacare tablets plus Omega 3 cost £15.29 for a 28-day supply whereas Pregnacare Max – described as the “ultimate formula” in the range – costs nearly £20 for the same length supply of tablets.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror about his team’s findings, he added: “The pressure on pregnant women to do the right thing is enormous – the industry is pushing these things very hard”. Cheaper options include regular Pregnacare -at £4.45 and Seven Seas Pregnancy tablets cost £5.25 for 28 tablets. They added pregnant women should also be advised to avoid vitamin A supplements, which can be risky to the baby.
In the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, researchers assert that they reviewed all evidence on folic acid, vitamin D, iron, vitamins C, E, and A, and multivitamin supplements.
They examined available evidence on whether taking folic acid, iron, and vitamins A, C, D, and E during pregnancy reduced the risks of complications like stillbirth, preterm birth, low birth weight, or preeclampsia.
But experts found no evidence that women should take multivitamins, which often contain as many as 20 vitamins or minerals.
Multivitamins aimed at pregnant women are an “unnecessary expense”, a study has suggested.
They also warn that “Pregnant women may be vulnerable to messages about giving their baby the best start in life, regardless of cost”.
“You can buy your folic acid and Vitamin D for less than £1 a month – that is all that the majority of well nourished women need”.
However, researchers stressed that pregnant women should make sure they take folic acid and vitamin D, as well as eating a well-balanced diet.
Janet Fyle, a professional policy advisor at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), said: “This is an interesting study and adds to a growing body of evidence that the benefits of eating a well balanced nutritious diet can not be underestimated in improving outcomes for both mother and baby”.
The Health Food Manufacturers’ Association has described some of the findings are “misleading”, as evidence suggests many women of child-bearing age in the United Kingdom consume insufficient amounts of micronutrients such as iodine, iron and calcium.
“For these groups, the belief they can obtain all the nutrients necessary from the average United Kingdom diet poses a very real risk to the health of both mothers and their unborn children”.
A wide range of multivitamin and mineral supplements are heavily marketed to women for all stages of pregnancy to guard against these sorts of problems.
“This is absolute nonsense”.
The only supplement that showed a clear clinical benefit was folic acid, which helps prevent neural tube defects.
“This ensures that more people achieve recommended intakes of vitamins, minerals and fatty acids, such as long chain Omega 3s”. Others have found inconsistent or no effects on other outcomes such as pre-eclampsia, preterm birth or low birthweight baby.
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“It is certainly more convenient to take one supplement rather than five things and probably improves compliance”, said Sullivan, an associate professor at the Medical University of SC who was not involved in the new paper.
