Prenatal care: What supplements do we advise pregnant women?
The aim of the paper was to investigate the types and frequency of supplementation during pregnancy in the city of Sarajevo. This study was conducted in two pediatric outpatient clinics in Sarajevo using a questionnaire. Five hundred women who had been pregnant in the past five years were questioned. The results showed that most pregnancies were unplanned. The prevalence of pre-term delivery was 5.2%, and the prevalence of low birth weight infants was 4%. There were seven cases of birth defects. Multivitamin supplements were taken by one woman before pregnancy and by 55.6%, 31.2% and 18.8% women during the first, second and third trimester, respectively. Simultaneously with multivitamin supplements, folic acid was taken by 10% women. Further efforts in terms of planning pregnancy are needed to improve prenatal care. These efforts should include the continuous education of both health professionals and women of childbearing potential, which should also enable the adequate implementation of the recommended supplementation. Key words: women of childbearing potential, pregnancy, vitamin-mineral supplements, folic acid