Table 1.

Recommendations of some micronutrients for pregnant women and their related footnotes within some European countries (adapted from the original tables in references)

	Vit A	Vit D	Vit B12	Folate	Iodine	Zinc	Iron
	(µg day−1)					(mg day−1)
United Kingdom (COMA 1991)	700	10	1.5 §	300	140 §	7 §	14.8 [Link] , [Link]
Italy (LARN 1996)	700	10 ††	2.2	400 ††	175	7	30 ††
Nordic countries (NNR 2004)	800	10	2.0	500	175	9 §§	– [Link] , [Link]
Spain (Moreiras et al. 2007) †	800	10	2.2	600 ‡	135	20	18
D‐A‐CH (2000)	1.1 mg RE	5	3.5	600	230 (CH: 200)	10	30

Nordic Countries, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden; D‐A‐CH, Germany, Austria, Switzerland; RE, retinol equivalent; Vit D, 10 µg day⁻¹ corresponds to 400 IU day⁻¹, 5 µg day⁻¹ corresponds to 200 IU day⁻¹; ^†from the second half of pregnancy; ^‡first and second half of gestation; ^§no increment. ^¶Insufficient for women with high menstrual losses where the most practical way of meeting iron requirements is to take iron supplements. ^††Dietary supplements or fortified foods may be required. ^‡‡The composition of the meal influences the utilization of dietary iron. The availability increases if the diet contains abundant amounts of vitamin C and meat or fish daily, while it is decreased at simultaneous intake of e.g. polyphenols or phytic acid. ^§§The utilization of zinc is negatively influenced by phytic acid and positively by animal protein. The recommended intakes are valid for a mixed animal/vegetable diet. For vegetarian cereal‐based diets, a 25–30% higher intake is recommended. ^¶¶Iron balance during pregnancy requires iron stores of approximately 500 mg at the start of pregnancy. The physiological need of some women for iron cannot be satisfied during the last two‐thirds of pregnancy with food only, and supplemental iron is therefore needed.