BabyRX launches maternity line

Image courtesy of BabyRx

Adequate food and nutrient intake during pregnancy is universally recognized as optimal for fetal development and maternal health. According to USDA data, many who are pregnant are not meeting recommendations for certain food groups and specific nutrients beneficial for maternal-child health outcomes, so it’s generally recommended for those populations to take a daily prenatal supplement.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) analyzed dietary supplements to see if they fulfilled this nutrient gap between food-based intake and estimated requirements needed to help most pregnant women achieve the recommended daily intake without exceeding upper limits for six key prenatal nutrients.

Investigators determined these six key prenatal nutrients by their strongest evidence for a potential benefit for maternal-child health outcomes: Vitamin A, vitamin D, folate/folic acid, calcium, iron, and omega-3 FAs.

Over 28,000 products were abstracted from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database to identify current US dietary supplements providing the six key nutrients. Of the 28,307 products, 20,547 products contained at least one of the key nutrients; of which 421 were labeled as prenatal products. Of the 20,547 products, 69 [0.3%; 33 prenatal (0.3%)] contained all six nutrients, but only one (0.005%; not a prenatal) contained target doses of all six key nutrients.

Sauder et al. concluded from this study, that currently the, “US dietary supplement market is not meeting nutrient needs of pregnant females.”

This study not only validated dietary inadequacies found in women during pregnancy, it recognized the essential role dietary supplements play in filling these nutrient shortfalls, and how the US dietary supplement market is failing to fulfill this nutrient gap.

A BabyRX is born

Founded on the idea to “Create highly effective and absorbent vitamins containing critical nutrients moms need to fulfill nutrient gaps during each maternity stage,” the launch of BabyRX comes at a welcomed time.

“When I was going through my first pregnancy, I realized there was a lack of education and understanding regarding what supplements to take during pregnancy and beyond,” explained Anastasia Shorr, BabyRX CEO.

Shorr said she had spent thousands of hours researching what nutrients and dosages she needed before, during and after pregnancy, but couldn’t find what she was looking for.

With the help of her OBGYN, pharmacists, clinical studies, and guidance from ACOG (American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists), Shorr took her personal experience to the masses.

Key nutrients

Baby RX’s supplements were designed to have complete nutrient profiles, with each ingredient backed by clinical studies conducted by the National institute of health (NIH), Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

BabyRX’s formulas include a comprehensive set of critical nutrients established by ACOG and the American Pregnancy Association clinically shown to have a significant positive impact on reproductive, fetal, and overall health. Shorr said this is critical because competitors often claim to include just the essential ingredients –which can result in the exclusion of critical nutrients.

“While we researched every ingredient that goes into our vitamins, some nutrients stood out to us as priorities, such as omega-3, collagen, myo-inositol and lycopene,” said Shorr. “Studies have shown that omega-3 plays a crucial role in brain and cognitive development and have been linked to reduced preterm birth, while Collagen benefits pregnant and postpartum women by supporting their joints, connective tissues, and skin elasticity and wound healing from the stress of pregnancy. Myo-inositol has been linked to improved embryo quality and fertility outcomes, and a reduced risk of pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes. Lycopene has been found to have positive effects on male fertility, such as improving sperm counts, motility, and pregnancy rates and reducing oxidative damage to sperm.”

Manufacturing

The company works closely with their production partners to guarantee quality, safety, and purity of their vitamins. Shorr said BabyRX only works with suppliers who have an open and transparent supply chain, allowing traceability of each ingredient back to its origin.

From maternity to motherhood

Shorr noted that although there is an inadequacy in the prenatal supplement market, there’s even less support available for fertility and postpartum, which is why BabyRx also offers a preconception formula as as well as a postpartum offering.

Complete Fertility+ is a supplement to support conception, hormone balance and ovulation for women, while Men's Fertility & Vitality optimizes male sexual health and fills dietary gaps.

The pregnancy formulations include Complete Prenatal+, which is a prenatal featuring 20 essential nutrients. Complete Probiotic contains 25 Billion CFUs across 10 clinically validated bacterial strains to maximize nutrient absorption, immune support, and build the baby’s microbiome.

The postpartum formulations include Complete Postnatal+ which contains 20 essential nutrients to support heightened needs postpartum along with Complete Probiotic.

More to come

The official birth of BabyRX is today, but Shorr said she has something else brewing: baby number three. “The community will see me go through my entire maternal journey, from fertility through pregnancy and beyond.”