New Study Shows That Women Who Take Vitamins Have Fewer Preemies  

According to a new study of close to 36,000 pregnant Danish women, those who take multivitamins regularly around the time they conceive demonstrate a lower risk of premature labor or having a smaller-than-normal baby. 

It is widely thought that poor or inadequate nutrition plays a role in pregnancy complications, such as preterm births and poor growth rates within the womb. 

Although the study doesn't prove that taking multivitamins absolutely prevents preemies, the association seen in this study bolsters the argument for taking the supplements. 

U.S. health officials, though, advise pregnant women against taking regular vitamins, which might harm the baby. However, they do recommend supplementing the diet with folic acid, which cuts the chance of certain birth defects.

This study looked at multivitamin use around the time of conception -- four weeks before and eight weeks after a woman's last period -- which hasn't had much scientific study. 

However, among women who said they had taken multivitamins at least eight out of the 12 weeks, there were 4.3 percent preterm births (before 37 weeks). For those who didn't take the supplements, the number was 5.3 percent. 

These women were also less likely to have a smaller-than-normal baby. 

Still, researchers stop short of recommending that women start taking multivitamins when trying to get pregnant. 

As a reader of our E-zine, you know that this is something which we’ve covered before.  Neither the scientific community nor the medical community will go out on a limb to support or frown against supplement and vitamin use unless there is overwhelming scientific and clinical data that removes doubt. 

In this study women who took the supplements appeared to be healthier in the first place, which is difficult to control for in the study.  Additionally, there are very few studies to test the effects of vitamins on babies' health. 

SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, online July 27, 2011.