Research has supported the vital importance of making certain pregnant women have enoughiron to ensure their babies are healthy. Mayo Clinic reports that if you're pregnant or hoping to conceive, prenatal vitamins can help fill any gaps you may have in your nutritional needs. Prenatal vitamins typically contain more iron than do standard adult multivitamins, because iron supports the baby's growth and development. Iron is also important to help prevent anemia. Charles Bankhead reported for MedPage Today on June 21, 2013, Prenatal Iron Good for Mom and Baby.

According to a large meta-analysis, women who took iron supplements during pregnancyhad a significantly lower risk of anemia and low-birth-weight babies. Iron supplementation was found to be associated with a 50 percent reduction in the hazard for anemia and a 19 percent reduction in the risk of low birth weight babies. Irons supplement use during pregnancy was also found to be associated with a 50 percent to 60 percent reduction in the risk of iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia. There was also a 16 percent lower risk of preterm birth in women who used iron supplements.

There was a significant increase in birth weight and a significantly lower risk of preterm birth for each 10 mg increase in daily iron. the authors concluded, "Daily prenatal use of iron substantially improved birth weight in a linear dose-response fashion, probably leading to a reduction in risk of low birth weight." Clearly, adequate iron should be considered a vital requirement for pregnant women.