Knowledge Gaps and Future Directions to Advance Research on Prenatal Health and Dietary Supplements

Monday, June 2, 2025

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM ET

Location:S330 A-D

Speaker(s)

Regan Bailey, PhD, MPH, RD (she/her/hers)

Director, Institute for Connecting Nutrition and Health
Florida State University
Department of Nutrition Science
Tallahassee, Florida, United States

Disclosure(s): Council for Responsible Nutrition: Speaker/Speaker's Bureau (Ongoing)
Alexandra Cowan-Pyle, PhD (she/her/hers)

Research Scientist
Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture
Texas A&M University System
Cary, North Carolina, United States

Disclosure(s): Council for Responsible Nutrition: Speaker/Speaker's Bureau (Ongoing)
The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Advisory Committee/Board Member (Ongoing)
The National Pork Board: Consultant (Ongoing)
Katherine Sauder, PhD

Associate Professor
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston Salem, North Carolina, United States

Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Andrea Wong, PhD (she/her/hers)

Senior Vice President, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs
Council for Responsible Nutrition
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Disclosure(s): Council for Responsible Nutrition: Employee (Ongoing)

Moderator(s)

Stefan Pasiakos, PhD, FASN, FACSM

Director, Center for Human Performance Optimization
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States

Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Ensuring optimal maternal and infant health requires a comprehensive understanding of micronutrient needs during pregnancy and the role of dietary supplements in meeting these requirements. The session will examine the unique nutrient requirements of pregnancy, the prevalence and patterns of prenatal supplement use, and the contributions of diet and supplements to maternal nutrient intake, with a focus on subpopulations at higher risk of nutritional deficiencies. Presentations will also highlight dietary modeling approaches to estimate nutrient levels needed to meet pregnancy requirements and discuss challenges in prenatal supplement formulation, including delivery formats and ingredient considerations.

The session will conclude with a panel discussion to address key questions and challenges raised during the presentations, explore opportunities for advancing prenatal nutrition research, and identify collaborative strategies to bridge micronutrient gaps and improve health outcomes.

Presentations:

10:00 AM - 10:05 AM ET

Welcome and Introductions - Knowledge Gaps and Future Directions to Advance Research on Prenatal Health and Dietary Supplements
Moderator: Stefan M. Pasiakos, PhD, FASN, FACSM – Pennington Biomedical Research Center
10:05 AM - 10:22 AM ET

Understanding Prenatal Dietary Supplement Use in the U.S.: Patterns of Micronutrient Exposure
Speaker: Regan L. Bailey, PhD, MPH, RD (she/her/hers) – Florida State University
10:22 AM - 10:39 AM ET

Dietary Modeling of Prenatal Dietary Supplements and Research Gaps Using NHANES Data
Speaker: Alexandra E. Cowan-Pyle, PhD (she/her/hers) – Texas A&M University System
10:39 AM - 10:56 AM ET

Prenatal Dietary Supplements and Challenges with Dietary Supplement Composition Databases: Addressing Inconsistencies and Data Needs
Speaker: Katherine Sauder, PhD – Wake Forest University Health Sciences
10:56 AM - 11:13 AM ET

Innovations and Challenges in Prenatal Dietary Supplement Formulation: Bridging Research and Industry Practices
Speaker: Andrea Wong, PhD (she/her/hers) – Council for Responsible Nutrition
11:13 AM - 11:30 AM ET

Panel Discussion - Knowledge Gaps and Future Directions to Advance Research on Prenatal Health and Dietary Supplements
Moderator: Stefan M. Pasiakos, PhD, FASN, FACSM – Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Speaker: Regan L. Bailey, PhD, MPH, RD (she/her/hers) – Florida State University
Speaker: Alexandra E. Cowan-Pyle, PhD (she/her/hers) – Texas A&M University System
Speaker: Katherine Sauder, PhD – Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Speaker: Andrea Wong, PhD (she/her/hers) – Council for Responsible Nutrition