Prague, February 2025 - An alarming percentage of pregnant Czech women are deficient in key nutrients for fetal development - a fact highlighted by Czech startup Trime, which develops nutritional supplements that are similar in composition to real food. Data from the Faculty of Medicine at Palacký University and the University Hospital in Olomouc have shown that up to 70% of pregnant women are not getting the necessary amounts of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. Other critical nutritional deficiencies in pregnant women, such as insufficient levels of folic acid or iron, have also been pointed out;
"Few people realise that a large proportion of the population, despite their affluence, live in a state of long-term malnutrition. As many studies have already shown, people are particularly deficient in vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids and many other vital substances. This hidden form of malnutrition has a significantly negative impact not only on our health, but also on the health of our offspring. Pregnant women who have specific nutritional needs should therefore pay even more attention to supplementing with these substances. Insufficient intake of essential nutrients in pregnant women increases the risk of many serious health complications for both the mother and the developing foetus. Nutritional deficiencies lead to weakened immunity, increased risk of gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, premature births or, on the contrary, low birth weight or miscarriages," explains Jakub Přibyl, nutritionist and product developer at Trime.
Deficits threaten pregnancy
Data has shown that only 20% of pregnant women in the Czech Republic meet the recommended daily intake of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA (200 to 300 mg), which is crucial for the development of the baby's brain and eyesight. 40% of pregnant women in the Czech Republic are at risk of iron deficiency, which can lead to anaemia and affect the healthy growth of the baby. Another substance that directly affects the course of pregnancy and whose deficiency is widespread among Czech women is iodine - up to half of mothers-to-be do not have enough of it. Moreover, according to the WHO, anaemia is widespread throughout Europe. According to this organisation, up to 40% of pregnant women suffer from anaemia.
"Many experts claim that eating a balanced diet is enough to eradicate the problem. But the reality is different - most people have such a low awareness of nutrition that it is nowhere near optimal. They lack not only the basic knowledge of food selection and storage, but also the skills needed to prepare balanced meals with quality ingredients. For the majority of the population, this is an unattainable ideal. This is due not only to the inferior quality of staple foods, which is affected by intensive production processes, but also to the loss of nutrients during processing and improper cooking. This is why more and more people are turning to quality food supplements. For example, proper folic acid supplementation during pregnancy can reduce the risk of neural tube defects in children by up to 70%," adds Pribyl;
