MICRONUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT

1 - 32 . (canceled)

33 . A method for treating or preventing a micronutrient deficiency in a prenatal or postpartum woman, said method comprising:

(a) administering daily to said woman a first dosage unit type comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable form of iron while being free of folic acid; and

(b) administering daily to said woman, at a predetermined time interval of at least 4 hours from the administration of the first dosage unit type, a second dosage unit type comprising pharmaceutically acceptable forms of folic acid and calcium while being free of iron;

wherein upon occurrence of side-effects, the daily intake of the tablet of the first type is discontinued.

34 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second dosage unit types are in the form of a tablet.

35 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second dosage unit type further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable form of vitamin B 12 .

36 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second dosage unit type further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable form of vitamin D 3 .

37 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time interval is 8 to 12 hours.

38 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first dosage unit type comprises:

(a) from 2 to 300 mg of iron;

(b) from 250 to 5000 I.U. of beta-carotene;

(c) from 0.5 to 10 mg of vitamin B 1 ;

(d) from 0.5 to 10 mg of vitamin B 2 ;

(e) from 2 to 50 mg of vitamin B 3 ;

(f) from 2 to 100 mg of vitamin B 6 ;

(g) from 0.5 to 20 mg of pantothenic acid;

(h) from 10 to 1000 mg of vitamin C;

(i) from 1 to 500 I.U. of vitamin E;

(j) from 1 to 50 mg of zinc;

(k) from 0.5 to 10 mg of copper;

(l) from 5 to 200 mg of magnesium; and

(m) from 0.05 to 1 mg of iodine;

and wherein the second dosage unit type comprises:

(a) from 0.1 to 10 mg of folic acid;

(b) from 10 to 1500 mg of calcium;

(c) from 2 to 50 meg of vitamin B 12 ; and

(d) from 10 to 1000 I.U. of vitamin D 3 .

39 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first dosage unit type comprises:

(a) about 35 mg of iron, present in the form of ferrous fumarate;

(b) about 2700 I.U. of beta-carotene;

(c) about 3 mg of vitamin B 1 , present in the form of thiamine mononitrate;

(d) about 3.4 mg of vitamin B 2 , present in the form of riboflavin;

(e) about 20 mg of vitamin B 3 , present in the form of niacinamide;

(f) about 10 mg of vitamin B 6 , present in the form of pyridoxine HCl;

(g) about 5 mg of pantothenic acid, present in the form of calcium pantothenate;

(h) about 120 mg of vitamin C, present in the form of ascorbic acid;

(i) about 30 I.U. of vitamin E, present in the form of dl-α-tocopheryl acetate;

(j) about 15 mg of zinc, present in the form of zinc oxide;

(k) about 2 mg of copper, present in the form of cupric oxide;

(l) about 50 mg of magnesium, present in the form of magnesium oxide; and

(m) about 0.15 mg of iodine, present in the form of potassium iodide;

and wherein the second dosage unit type comprises:

(a) about 1.1 mg of folic acid;

(b) about 300 mg of a calcium, present in the form of calcium carbonate;

(c) about 12 meg of vitamin B 12 , present in the form of cyanocobalamine; and

(d) about 250 I.U. of vitamin D 3 , present in the form of cholecalciferol.

40 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first dosage unit type is administered in the morning.

41 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second dosage unit type is administered in the evening.

42 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second dosage unit types are distinguishable by color-coding.

43 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first dosage unit type is color-coded pink.

44 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the second dosage unit type is color-coded blue.

45 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second dosage unit types are of a size for ease of swallowing.