Dietary supplementation with folic acid, before conception and throughout the first 12 weeks, reduces the risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect (for example, anencephaly or spina bifida).
Recommended dose of folic acid is 400 micrograms per day.
Iron supplementation should NOT be offered routinely to all pregnant women. It does NOT benefit the mother’s or the baby’s health and may have unpleasant maternal side effects.
Vitamin A supplementation (above 700 micrograms) might be teratogenic and should be avoided.
Liver and liver products contain high levels of vitamin A, and therefore consumption of these products should also be avoided.