Can’t I get all of the nutrients that I need from food?
Although experts agree that food is the best means of obtaining the nutrients required during pregnancy, getting all required nutrients from your diet alone is not easy.

During pregnancy, requirements for some vitamins and minerals increase far more than requirements for calories. Daily requirements for some vitamins and minerals increase as much as 50%, whereas energy needs increase by only 300 calories per day in the second and third trimesters.

As a result, you should choose foods carefully to obtain all the necessary nutrients while maintaining appropriate weight gain. Prenatal supplements are designed to make this task easier by supplying a significant portion of vitamin and mineral requirements.

Don’t most women get the nutrients they need?
Unfortunately, no. Dietary intake studies have shown that many women, regardless of socioeconomic status, have median dietary intakes below the recommended intake for many nutrients. Nutrients consumed at less-than-recommended levels include folic acid, iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and vitamins B₆, D, and E.

Multivitamin/mineral supplements can be important for ensuring that increased nutrient needs are met. Studies have shown that multivitamin/mineral supplements can decrease the incidence of low birthweight.

What should I look for in a prenatal supplement?
Wyeth Nutrition has developed 2 supplements—MATERNA* and
S-26* MAMA—to meet the special needs of pregnant women.

MATERNA is a complete multivitamin/mineral supplement for use during pregnancy and lactation.

One tablet of MATERNA

• Is fortified with 1 mg of folic acid, a nutrient that is essential for healthy fetal development and the prevention of neural tube defects (NTDs), some of the most serious birth defects.

• Is fortified with 60 mg of iron to help prevent anemia.
  
  
• Satisfies the United States (US) Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for many important vitamins and minerals, including the B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and zinc.
  
  
• Helps ensure adequate intake of calcium to meet fetal demands and to maintain a reserve for lactation.
  
  

S-26 MAMA is a great-tasting, balanced nutritional beverage designed to supplement the diet of pregnant and lactating women.

Just 2 servings of S-26 MAMA

• Help meet increased caloric needs.
  
  
• Provide 30% of the US DRI for protein for pregnant women.
  
  
• Are fortified with 48 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a nutrient important for your baby's visual and mental development.
  
  
• Provide 400 Mcg of folic acid, a nutrient that is essential for healthy fetal development and the prevention of NTDs.
  
  
• Provide more than one third of the US DRI for iron, to help prevent anemia.
  
  
• Help ensure adequate intake of calcium to meet fetal demands and to maintain a reserve for lactation.
  
  
• Provide a full range of vitamins and minerals known to be essential for good health during pregnancy.