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Widespread recommendations for antenatal supplements, especially multivitamins, should be reconsidered, according to two Australian nutrition and pregnancy experts.

Dr Linda Gallo (PhD) and Associate Professor Shelley Wilkinson, from the University of Queensland and the University of the Sunshine Coast, respectively, warn that supplement overreliance and excess nutrient intake during pregnancy can be risky.

They argue multivitamin use in high-income countries such as Australia and high doses of folic acid, iron and iodine are potentially associated with negative maternal and fetal outcomes, including gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, low birth weight, increased body fat and poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes.