Volume 30, Issue 169, March 2026

Association Between Vitamin D, DHA, Folic Acid, Iodine and Zinc Supplementation During Pregnancy and Offspring Development: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Ewa Gloc^1♦, Mateusz Mierniczek², Maria Mierniczek³, Dominika Dmowska⁴, Aleksandra Bilińska⁵, Paweł Zdebski⁶, Rafał Ejsner⁷, Daniel Załęski⁸, Urszula Marzec⁹

¹Bonifrater Medical Center in Lodz, Kosynierów Gdyńskich 61 93-357 Łódź, Poland
²St. Raphael’s Voivodeship Specialist Hospital in Czerwona Góra, Czerwona Góra 10, 26-060, Chęciny, Poland
³St. Raphael’s Voivodeship Specialist Hospital in Czerwona Góra, Czerwona Góra 10, 26-060, Chęciny, Poland
⁴Uniwersytet Medyczny im. Karola Marcinkowskiego w Poznaniu, Collegium Maius ul. Fredry 10, 61-701 Poznań, Poland
⁵Medical University of Lodz – Central Veteran Hospital, ul. Żeromskiego 113, Lodz, Poland
⁶Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Collegium Maius ul. Fredry 10, Poznan, Poland
⁷Medical University of Łódź, Dr. Karol Jonscher Municipal Medical Center, Milionowa 14, 93-113 Łódź, Poland
⁸Baptism of Poland Memorial Hospital in Gniezno, 3 Maja 37, 62-200 Gniezno, Poland
⁹Stefan Cardinal Wyszyński Provincial Specialist Hospital SPZOZ in Lublin, Aleja Kraśnicka 100, 20-718 Lublin, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Ewa Gloc, Bonifrater Medical Center in Lodz, Poland, Bialostocka 16/20 93-355 Lodz, Poland

ABSTRACT

Low-level status of crucial microelements in pregnant women may expose the offspring to suboptimal conditions during fundamental phases of fetal development, and it may have long-term effects on their health outcomes. The review summarizes the relationship between vitamins: DHA, folic acid, iodine and zinc intake during pregnancy and their role in maternal and fetal development; also introduces findings from clinical trials that evaluated the association of these supplements deficiency with outcomes in the fetus and neonate. The aim was to find the potential benefits of prenatal vitamin usage containing these compounds and risks for the mother and fetal development as a consequence of deficiency. We have focused on vitamin D, its influence on bone mineralization, prevention of rickets and other non-skeletal outcomes. We examined DHA functions (including the importance of n3 PUFAs in cognitive functions) and its association with decreased risk of preterm birth, preeclampsia, IUGR and GDM. Also, we raised the issue of l-methylfolate, as a prevention of neural tube defects, other pregnancy-related complications, and folic acid-related gene mutation in the MTHFR. We investigated iodine supplementation, its relationship to cretinism prevention, and its costeffectiveness relative to no supplementation among pregnant women in a mildly iodinedeficient population. We discussed the validity of additional zinc intake and its influence on fetal growth, weight, and gestational age. Results indicate an advantageous effect of supplementation on maternal and fetal outcomes. Appropriate supplementation brings notable benefits. However, it is important to avoid exceeding the recommended doses, as it may have the opposite effect.

Keywords: Supplementation, Pregnancy, Vitamin deficiency, Offspring outcomes, Fetal development

Medical Science, 2026, 30, e63ms3828

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v30i169.e63ms3828

Published: 30 March 2026