The CRN Foundation, the educational arm of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), will once again champion the importance of prenatal nutrition at the 2025 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting, taking place May 16–18 in Minneapolis.
The Foundation will host its Prenatal Nutrition Center at booth 943, offering clinicians valuable resources on how nutritional supplementation can help address the nutrient gaps commonly seen in pregnant and lactating women. In addition, CRN Foundation will present an educational session titled “Nourish & Thrive: Optimizing Nutrition and Prenatal Supplementation for a Healthy Pregnancy and Beyond” on Saturday, May 17, from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. in Room 102 ABC of the Minneapolis Convention Center.
“Most pregnant women in the U.S. do not meet their increased nutritional requirements through diet alone. Our goal is to equip healthcare professionals with the latest science on how prenatal supplements can help support healthier outcomes for both mothers and babies,” said Andrea Wong, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, CRN. “By collaborating with leading researchers and clinicians, we are advancing the conversation about evidence-based nutritional support during pregnancy and lactation.”
This year’s session will feature:
• Regan L. Bailey, Ph.D., MPH, RD, Director of the Institute for Connecting Nutrition and Health and Professor at Florida State University’s College of Medicine, and
• Alexandra E. Cowan-Pyle, Ph.D., Research Scientist in the Department of Nutrition at Texas A&M University.
The experts will share insights on current nutrient intake patterns, highlight critical gaps in prenatal and postnatal nutrition, and explore how supplementation—including well established nutrients for pregnancy, including folic acid, iron, calcium, iodine, and vitamin D—as well as nutrients with emerging benefits, such as choline, DHA omega-3s, lutein, zeaxanthin, and nicotinamide riboside—can all play essential roles in closing those gaps.
Each of these ingredients play unique and critical roles in supporting healthy pregnancy outcomes. Choline supports fetal brain and spinal cord development and is linked to improved cognitive function in infants, though intake among pregnant women remains low. DHA, a key omega-3 fatty acid, promotes fetal brain and eye development and has been shown to reduce the risk of preterm birth. Lutein and zeaxanthin, important antioxidants, accumulate in both the eye and brain, supporting visual function and potentially enhancing cognitive outcomes for both mother and child. Meanwhile, nicotinamide riboside, a form of vitamin B3, serves as a precursor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a molecule vital to cellular energy production and metabolic function, which may contribute to healthier pregnancy outcomes by supporting cellular resilience during the high demands of gestation.
“Nutrition science is rapidly evolving, and it’s vital that OB/GYNs and other healthcare professionals have access to up-to-date research so they can guide their patients effectively,” added Dr. Wong.
The CRN Foundation’s initiatives at the 2025 ACOG Annual Meeting are made possible with support from leading industry partners committed to advancing prenatal health and nutrition, including Balchem, Church & Dwight, dsm-firmenich, Kemin, Nestlé Health Science, Niagen Bioscience, OmniActive, and Unilever.
Booth materials will be made available soon at https://www.crnusa.org/acog2025
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About the CRN Foundation
The CRN Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides consumers and healthcare practitioners with science-based information on the benefits of dietary supplements and functional food. Through education and outreach initiatives, the Foundation promotes responsible use of nutritional products to improve public health and wellness.
