IMPORTANCE OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN PREGNANCY OUTCOMES

Course overview

The health and eating habits of the mother directly affect the fetus and the outcome of pregnancy. The most important controllable factors in perinatal mortality are prenatal medical care and adequate nutrition during pregnancy. Malnutrition and poor eating habits lead to maternal, fetal and neonatal complications, such as low birth weight, very low birth weight, small for gestational age, fetal growth restriction, prematurity, pregnancy complications, congenital anomalies and other chronic diseases later in life. Dietary folate and supplemental folic acid are important in the prevention of neural tube defects. Epigenetics may explain some inherited susceptibilities to disease, such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease and obesity.