Maternal Nutrition and Supplements for Mother and Infant

: Healthy lifestyle habits spanning from preconception to postpartum are considered as a major safeguard for achieving successful pregnancies and for the prevention of gestational diseases. Among preconception priorities established by the World Health Organization (WHO) are healthy diet and nutrition, weight management, physical activity, planned pregnancy and physical, mental and psychosocial health. Most studies covering the topic of healthy pregnancies focus on maternal diet because obesity increases the risks for adverse perinatal outcomes, including gestational diabetes mellitus, large for gestational age newborns, or preeclampsia. Thus, foods rich in vegetables, essential and polyunsaturated fats and fibre-rich carbohydrates should be promoted especially in overweight, obese or diabetic women. An adequate intake of micronutrients (e.g. iron, calcium, folate, vitamin D and carotenoids) is also crucial to support pregnancy and breastfeeding. Moderate physical activity throughout pregnancy improves muscle tone and function, besides decreasing the risk of preeclampsia, gestational diabesity (i.e. diabetes associated with obesity) and postpartum overweight. Intervention studies claim that an average of 30 min of exercise/day contributes to long-term benefits for maternal overall health and wellbeing. Other factors such as microbiome modulation, behavioural strategies (e.g. smoking cessation, anxiety/stress reduction and sleep quality), maternal genetics and age, social class and education might also influence the maternal quality of life. These factors contribute to ensure a healthy pregnancy, or at least to reduce the risk of adverse maternal and foetal outcomes during pregnancy and later in life.

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Pregnant Women Living with Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study of Dietary Quality and Pregnancy Outcomes

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13051652 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 1652

Author(s):

Margaret Charnley ◽

Lisa Newson ◽

Andrew Weeks ◽

Julie Abayomi

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Maternal Obesity ◽

Maternal Nutrition ◽

Saturated Fatty Acids ◽

Poor Quality ◽

Dietary Quality ◽

Obstetric Outcomes ◽

Dietary Intakes ◽

Singleton Pregnancy ◽

Cross Sectional

Good maternal nutrition is key to optimal maternal and foetal health. A poor-quality diet is often associated with obesity, and the prevalence and severity of maternal obesity has increased significantly in recent years. This study observed dietary intakes in pregnant women living with obesity and assessed the quality of their diet. In total, 140 women with a singleton pregnancy, aged > 18 years and BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2, were recruited from antenatal clinics, weighed and completed food diaries at 16-, 28- and 36-weeks’ gestation. Clinical data were recorded directly from the women’s medical records. Nutrient intake was determined using ‘MicrodietTM’, then compared to Dietary Reference Values (DRVs). Energy intakes were comparable with DRVs, but intakes of sugar and saturated fatty acids were significantly higher. Intake of fibre and several key micronutrients (Iron, Iodine, Folate and Vitamin D) were significantly low. Several adverse obstetric outcomes were higher than the general obstetric population. Women with obesity, often considered ‘over nourished’, may have diets deficient in essential micronutrients, often associated with poor obstetric outcomes. To address the intergenerational transmission of poor health via poor diets warrants a multi-disciplinary approach focusing away from ‘dieting’ onto positive messages, emphasising key nutrients required for good maternal and foetal health.

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Differential Effects of Maternal Diets on Birth Outcomes and Metabolic Parameters in Rats After Ethanol Consumption during Pregnancy

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114520005152 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-25

Author(s):

Yidi Wang ◽

Bradley A. Feltham ◽

Michael N. A. Eskin ◽

Miyoung Suh

Keyword(s):

Total Cholesterol ◽

Birth Outcomes ◽

Maternal Nutrition ◽

Maternal Diet ◽

Hdl Cholesterol ◽

Nutrition Intervention ◽

Metabolic Parameters ◽

Nutrition Status ◽

Sprague Dawley ◽

Metabolic Outcomes

Abstract Maternal nutrition status plays an important role in the development of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), but its direct evidence is lacking. This study compared a standard chow with a semi-purified energy dense (E-dense) diet on birth and metabolic outcomes in rats after ethanol (EtOH) consumption during pregnancy. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into four groups: chow (n=6), chow+EtOH (20% v/v) (n=7), E-dense (n=6), and E-dense+EtOH (n=8). Birth outcomes including litter size, body and organ weights were collected. Metabolic parameters were measured in dams and pups at postnatal day (PD) 7. Maternal EtOH consumption decreased body weights (p <0.0001) and litter sizes (p <0.05) in chow-fed dams. At PD7, pups born to dams fed E-dense diet had higher body (p <0.002) and liver weights (p <0.0001). These pups also had higher plasma total cholesterol (p <0.0001), triacyclglycerol (p <0.003) and alanine aminotransferase (p <0.03) compared to those from chow-fed dams. Dams fed E-dense diet had higher plasma total- (p <0.0001) and HDL-cholesterol (p <0.0001) and lower glucose (p <0.0001). EtOH increased total cholesterol (p <0.03) and glucose (p <0.05) only in dams fed the E-dense diet. Maternal exposure to E-dense diet attenuated prenatal EtOH-induced weight loss and produced different metabolic outcomes in both dams and pups. While the long-lasting effects of these outcomes are unknown, this study highlights the importance of maternal diet quality for maternal health and infant growth, and suggests that maternal nutrition intervention may be a potential target for alleviating FASD.

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Exploring maternal nutrition counseling provided by health professionals during antenatal care follow-up: a qualitative study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia-2019

BMC Nutrition ◽

10.1186/s40795-021-00427-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Matyas Atnafu Alehegn ◽

Tsegaye Kebede Fanta ◽

Agumas Fentahun Ayalew

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Study Design ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Maternal Nutrition ◽

Addis Ababa ◽

Nutrition Counseling ◽

Institutional Barriers ◽

Size Adjustment ◽

Sample Size Adjustment ◽

Pregnant Mothers

Abstract Background Nutritional awareness and practice of women during pregnancy could be determining their nutritional status, which significantly affects the outcome of pregnancy. Therefore this study aims to explore the maternal nutrition counseling provided by health professionals for pregnant women, Barriers to maternal nutrition, and major interventions. Methods A descriptive study design with a qualitative method by using ground theory tradition, based on constructivist research approach and Charmaz’s (2000) study design has been conducted from September-01/2019 _November-16/2019 among pregnant women who got ANC service in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A purposive sampling technique was used. Practical observations and in-depth interviews were conducted. The sample size adjustment has been carried out according to the information saturation obtained, and finally, 81 practical observations, In-depth interview with two center managers, nine health professionals and eleven term pregnant women has been conducted. An observational checklist and Semi-structured, open-ended questionnaires were used. Data, the environment, and methodological triangulation were carried out. A conceptual framework has been established based on the data collected about the whole process of maternal nutrition counseling during pregnancy. ATLAS TI software was utilized for information analysis. The results Most participants responded that maternal nutrition counseling provided to pregnant mothers is not adequate and neglected by most stakeholders. From 81 practical observations, health professionals counseled to mothers were 10 what to feed, 4 what to limit to consume, and 5 were counseled about what to eat during pregnancy. Close to all the respondents agreed on the importance of providing nutrition counseled by the nutritionists. Most of the study participants emphasized a shortage of time as primary barriers. Institutional Barriers, Professional Barriers, Maternal Barriers, and Community Barriers were major barriers to nutrition counseling. Conclusions Generally, maternal nutrition counseling provided to pregnant mothers was not adequate and neglected by most stakeholders. Shortage of time due to client flow, Institutional Barriers, Professional Barriers, Maternal Barriers, and Community Barriers were major categories of maternal nutritional counseling barriers. Information update and timely preparation were recommended to health professionals.

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Maternal nutrition and fetal growth

The Indian Journal of Pediatrics ◽

10.1007/bf02776432 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 51 (4) ◽

pp. 443-449

Author(s):

R. R. Devi ◽

K. N. Agarwal

Keyword(s):

Fetal Growth ◽

Maternal Nutrition

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Maternal Vitamin B12 Status and Risk of Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate Birth Defects in Tamil Nadu State, India

The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal ◽

10.1177/1055665621998394 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 58 (5) ◽

pp. 567-576

Author(s):

Ronald G. Munger ◽

Rajarajeswari Kuppuswamy ◽

Jyotsna Murthy ◽

Kalpana Balakrishnan ◽

Gurusamy Thangavel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cleft Palate ◽

Tamil Nadu ◽

Cleft Lip ◽

Maternal Nutrition ◽

Case Control ◽

Vitamin B ◽

Plasma Vitamin ◽

Maternal Vitamin ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Tamil Nadu State

Background and Objective: The causal role of maternal nutrition in orofacial clefts is uncertain. We tested hypotheses that low maternal vitamin B12 and low folate status are each associated with an increased risk of isolated cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL±P) in a case–control study in Tamil Nadu state, India. Methods: Case-mothers of CL±P children (n = 47) and control-mothers of unaffected children (n = 50) were recruited an average of 1.4 years after birth of the index child and plasma vitamin B12, methylmalonic acid (MMA), total homocysteine (tHcy), and folate were measured at that time. Logistic regression analyses estimated associations between nutrient biomarkers and case–control status. Results: Odds ratios (ORs) contrasting biomarker levels showed associations between case-mothers and low versus high plasma vitamin B12 (OR = 2.48, 95% CI, 1.02-6.01) and high versus low plasma MMA, an indicator of poor B12 status (OR = 3.65 95% CI, 1.21-11.05). Case–control status was not consistently associated with folate or tHcy levels. Low vitamin B12 status, when defined by a combination of both plasma vitamin B12 and MMA levels, had an even stronger association with case-mothers (OR = 6.54, 95% CI, 1.33-32.09). Conclusions: Mothers of CL±P children in southern India were 6.5 times more likely to have poor vitamin B12 status, defined by multiple biomarkers, compared to control-mothers. Further studies in populations with diverse nutritional backgrounds are required to determine whether poor maternal vitamin B12 or folate levels or their interactions are causally related to CL±P.

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Osteopontin Levels in Human Milk Are Related to Maternal Nutrition and Infant Health and Growth

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13082670 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 2670

Author(s):

Aysegül Aksan ◽

Izzet Erdal ◽

Siddika Songül Yalcin ◽

Jürgen Stein ◽

Gülhan Samur

Keyword(s):

Immune System ◽

Breast Milk ◽

Infant Health ◽

Maternal Nutrition ◽

System Development ◽

Maternal Factors ◽

Immune System Development ◽

The Mean ◽

Pregnancy Weight

Background: Osteopontin (OPN) is a glycosylated phosphoprotein found in human tissues and body fluids. OPN in breast milk is thought to play a major role in growth and immune system development in early infancy. Here, we investigated maternal factors that may affect concentrations of OPN in breast milk, and the possible associated consequences for the health of neonates. Methods: General characteristics, health status, dietary patterns, and anthropometric measurements of 85 mothers and their babies were recorded antenatally and during postnatal follow-up. Results: The mean concentration of OPN in breast milk was 137.1 ± 56.8 mg/L. Maternal factors including smoking, BMI, birth route, pregnancy weight gain, and energy intake during lactation were associated with OPN levels (p < 0.05). Significant correlations were determined between body weight, length, and head circumference, respectively, and OPN levels after one (r = 0.442, p = < 0.001; r = −0.284, p = < 0.001; r = −0.392, p = < 0.001) and three months (r = 0.501, p = < 0.001; r = −0.450, p = < 0.001; r = −0.498, p = < 0.001) of lactation. A negative relation between fever-related infant hospitalizations from 0–3 months and breast milk OPN levels (r = −0.599, p < 0.001) was identified. Conclusions: OPN concentrations in breast milk differ depending on maternal factors, and these differences can affect the growth and immune system functions of infants. OPN supplementation in infant formula feed may have benefits and should be further investigated.

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