During pregnancy and lactation, a woman's nutritional needs change drastically. For this reason, recommended daily allowances are adjusted to meet these needs, and the dietary supplement market has focused on the production of vitamin-mineral complexes that meet these needs. Inadequate intake affects fetal development, the outcome of pregnancy and the subsequent health of mother and child. The greatest emphasis is placed on sufficient intake of folic acid, vitamin D, calcium and iron. The main aim of this thesis is to give an overview of multivitamin supplements for pregnant and lactating women available on the Slovenian market. Their offer and use have increased in recent years. In addition, the safety of the ingredients will be evaluated and the recommended daily allowances will be compared between countries. The goal is to develop brief recommendations for safe use. We examined the composition of 18 products and then statistically evaluated the data obtained. We used tables and charts. We then examined the safety of the ingredients, toxicity, risks of inadequate intake, and looked for special warnings and precautions for use. Using scientific articles from the PubMed database, we detailed five ingredients whose inappropriate intake poses the greatest health risk. We found that most products are in the form of tablets and capsules. Their composition consists mainly of vitamins, and the content of minerals and other organic compounds is lower. All products contain folic acid and vitamins D, C and B12. Other vitamins are also present in high proportions, with the exception of vitamins A and K, which are included only in exceptional cases. The most common minerals are selenium, iron, zinc, iodine and calcium. In many products, some ingredients were above 100 % of the recommended daily allowance, but the content was still in accordance with the maximum permissible doses prescribed by law by the competent institutions. Most products are intended for use during all sensitive periods such as preconception, pregnancy, and lactation (27,8 %), and many are intended for individual periods such as preconception and first trimester (16,6 %), second and third trimester (11,1 %) and lactation (11,1 %). Many of the ingredients in products can be harmful if dosed too high. We have found that reference values are not the same all over the world, but there are differences between them. The use of these products is safe in the prescribed dosages and, in combination with a varied diet, mostly covers all the needs that are increased at that time. A bigger problem can be insufficient intake, which can have a negative effect on both the mother and the fetus. In the case of certain medical conditions, intake is possible only after consultation with a doctor.
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