Do your prenatal diet, supplements deliver what you need?

If you’re thinking of becoming pregnant or are pregnant, making sure you have the right balance of nutrients and vitamins in your diet and from supplements is essential for your health and the health of your fetus. Low levels of six nutrients, folic acid, vitamins A and D, calcium, iron and omega-3 fatty acids, can cause pre-term birth, low birthweight, birth defects and other problems.

Researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus recently studied 2,450 women through their pregnancy. Fully 90% of them had diets that were deficient in those nutrients. Their supplements didn’t rate much higher. Out of 20,547 dietary supplements available in the U.S. that the researchers tested, including 421 prenatal products, only 69 products (33 prenatal) contained any amount of those six nutrients; seven (two prenatal) contained target doses for five nutrients.

So what should you do?

Upgrade your diet to eliminate highly processed foods and to include a good supply of those six nutrients. Then, take a prenatal multivitamin-multimineral supplement, along with additional supplements that provide an extra 600 milligrams of calcium and 400 milligrams of magnesium (to prevent constipation from calcium) and 900 milligrams of DHA omega-3. Tip: Start taking them six months before you want to get pregnant and give the various supplements to your partner as well until you are pregnant).

Want it to be more complicated? Google “ACOG Nutrition During Pregnancy” for a complete rundown of food and supplement quantities that will provide the nutrition you need to have. But, I like it easy.

Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is “The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow.” Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@ Greatagereboot.com.