New paper gives roadmap for how healthy eating in pregnancy supports baby’s health
A pregnant woman is sitting on the bed and looking at ultrasound pictures of the baby, the concept of motherhood and preparation for the birth of a child
A new Briefing Paper, Diet in Pregnancy, published by the British Nutrition Foundation, combines the findings of academic research and recommendations from authoritative institutions into a roadmap for good nutrition for parents and their babies, from preconception through pregnancy.
Diet in Pregnancy is published in the wake of the House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee’s report – Recipe for Health: a plan to fix our broken food system – which emphasises the importance of targeting pre-conception, pregnancy and early life to improve the overall health of people in the UK.
The British Nutrition Foundation paper, compiled by nutrition science experts and academics*, describes how a healthy, varied diet providing adequate energy and nutrients is essential to support fetal growth and development, and maternal health during pregnancy, when demands for energy, protein, and several micronutrients increase.
However, data show that many women of childbearing age are not meeting recommended daily nutrient intakes, which can have a negative effect on their unborn baby’s development.
Sara Stanner, Science Director of the British Nutrition Foundation and co-author of the paper, said: “Dietary advice that encourages adequate intakes of the wide range of nutrients that contribute to maternal and fetal health, emphasising foods rich in folate, iodine, iron, calcium and vitamin D, is crucial. This should be accompanied by advice to take folic acid supplements pre-conception and during early pregnancy and to consider taking vitamin D supplements throughout pregnancy between the months of October to March, or throughout the year for those considered at ‘high risk’.”
The ideal is that women start pregnancy with sufficient nutrient levels and status – for example, it is recommended to start taking folic acid supplements 3 months before trying for a baby. Effectively, as many pregnancies are unplanned, this means that improving the nutritional health of all women of childbearing age is key to the health of the next generation.
