Micronutrients and pregnancy
Savchenko T.N., Dergacheva I.A., Agaeva M.I.

Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow

The paper addresses a wide range of clinical and pharmacological effects of vitamins, minerals, and high safety of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). They can be effectively used for the timely prevention and treatment of pregnancy complications, as well as in healthy pregnant women to provide a normal course of pregnancy and birth of a healthy baby. 
The article provides statistics of essential micronutrients deficiency in pregnant and lactating women: polyhypovitaminosis is identified in 70-80% of women. Vitamins B, C, D, folate and carotenoids deficiency can lead to disruption of compensatory and adaptive capabilities of mother and fetus, pathology of pregnancy, premature birth and fetal congenital anomalies. Positive effects of omega-3 PUFAs are discussed in detail as well as influence of their deficiency on the child's condition. Omega-3 PUFAs are essential as cannot be synthesized in the human body.
The way to prevent pregnancy complications is to use nutrition support, which significantly reduces the incidence of maternal anemia, risk of infectious and inflammatory complications of pregnancy, as well as low birth weight and microsomia.

Key words: pregnancy, micronutrients, vitamin deficiency, fetal congenital anomalies

For citation: Savchenko T.N., Dergacheva I.A., Agaeva M.I. Micronutrients and pregnancy // RMJ. 2016. № 15. P. 1005–1008.