Differences in Micronutrient Knowledge, Beliefs, and Supplementation Practices Between Pregnant Women and Healthcare Providers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background/Objectives: Adequate micronutrient intake during pregnancy is critical for fetal development, yet whether pregnant women and healthcare professionals share consistent knowledge, beliefs, and supplementation practices remains poorly characterized. Methods: Two parallel cross-sectional surveys using identical core items were conducted at a German tertiary care center between April and November 2024. Pregnant women (n = 132) and healthcare professionals who initiated the survey (n = 105) completed anonymous QR-code-based questionnaires assessing micronutrient-related knowledge, perceived dietary adequacy, and supplementation practices or recommendation patterns. Comparative analyses were restricted to fully completed healthcare professional questionnaires (n = 80). Group differences were analyzed using chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests. Results: Healthcare professionals demonstrated higher knowledge levels across most micronutrients. Knowledge gaps were most pronounced for vitamin B12, with 53.0% of pregnant women unable to identify any fetal effect compared with 20.0% of providers (p < 0.001). Beliefs about dietary sufficiency were broadly aligned for folic acid (p = 0.452) and vitamin D (p > 0.999), but diverged markedly for vitamin B12, where 79.2% of providers considered dietary intake alone adequate compared with 47.3% of pregnant women (p < 0.001). Substantial differences were observed between patient-reported supplementation practices and provider-reported recommendation patterns: Vitamin B12 (70.0% vs. 3.8%), vitamin D (76.2% vs. 41.3%), omega-3 fatty acids (76.2% vs. 47.5%), and folic acid (98.5% vs. 81.3%; all p < 0.001). The internet was the most frequently cited information source among pregnant women (89.4%), while healthcare professionals reported using both scientific literature (75.0%) and internet-based resources (76.3%), the latter primarily for accessing professional and scientific information. Conclusions: Substantial patient–provider differences in micronutrient knowledge, beliefs, and supplementation practices persist even within a highly educated population at a tertiary care center. These findings suggest potential differences between patient-reported supplementation behavior and provider-reported recommendation practices, particularly for vitamin B12 and vitamin D. These findings suggest that more structured communication regarding micronutrient supplementation during pregnancy is needed.