Vitamin Angels Collaborates with Partners to Improve the Health of US Communities

Vitamin Angels began working with partners in the US to distribute multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS)—commonly known as prenatal vitamins and minerals—to pregnant women in underserved communities in 2013. Today, Vitamin Angels partners with over 350 organizations, including WIC clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Health Departments throughout the US and Puerto Rico. We provide technical support to these partners, who then distribute our MMS to women of reproductive age. Additionally, we are working to expand the breadth of our work by piloting materials to support MMS counseling, and collaborating with key partners to conduct formative research on breastfeeding and to support the development of supplemental feeding programs for pregnant women and young children.

Nutritional Needs Increase During Pregnancy

Undernourished women are more likely to develop serious complications during pregnancy and birth. Iron deficiency, for example, is the most common cause of anemia, which increases the risk of poor pregnancy outcomes—including babies being born too soon or too small, and maternal and newborn mortality.^[7] MMS can safely and effectively improve maternal health and pregnancy outcomes and set children on a path toward healthier growth and development.

The American College of Gynecologists and Obstetrics (ACOG) recommends that women should begin taking prenatal vitamins before getting pregnant.^[8] This is critical given that there are serious brain and spinal cord abnormalities that can form during the first month of pregnancy – before many women even know they are pregnant.^[9] To align with these recommendations, in 2022, Vitamin Angels began offering MMS to women of reproductive age and pregnant women in the US.

Finding Innovative Ways To Reach Women With MMS

In 2021, Vitamin Angels and Walgreens launched a prenatal vitamin pilot program to test strategies to expand access to MMS for women who are planning to become or are currently pregnant and underserved by current systems in the US. Initially, local community-based organizations distributed program materials that could be redeemed for MMS in select Walgreens stores across Chicago’s south and west sides. In 2023, Vitamin Angels and Walgreens announced an expansion of the pilot program that has included testing additional strategies, such as geo-targeted ads and a direct ship option, to reach more pregnant women with MMS. The pilot brought the program to over 400 Walgreens stores across ten states and Puerto Rico. In July 2024, the Walgreens and Vitamin Angels Prenatal Program was expanded nationwide. It operates in all 50 states, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There are over 2,600 participating Walgreens pharmacy locations and Direct Ship is offered in select eligible zip codes in 8 states. To date, the program has reached more than 18,000 pregnant women.

Tackling Food Insecurity Through Supplementary Feeding Programs

In 2022, 49 million people, or about one in six Americans, turned to food banks or community programs to help put food on the table. For families struggling with food insecurity, supplementary feeding programs are a way to help increase dietary diversity, promote healthy eating choices, and support children’s growth and development.

In 2021, Vitamin Angels began piloting supplemental feeding programs in the US, partnering with local health centers, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP) for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) agencies, food banks, and Healthy Start programs. Since launching the supplementary feeding program, we have worked with 11 partners in 7 states to provide healthy food and nutrition education to more than 11,500 families in need.

Our Plan for the Future

In the US, we plan to continue conducting pilot programs that apply systematic, evidence-based methodologies to inform our scaling efforts. Our goal is to extend our proven nutrition interventions – particularly MMS, nutrition education and support, and breastfeeding assistance – to a greater number of underserved women, infants, and young children.