-
Western Diet, Pregnancy & Neurodevelopmental Health
Data from several cohort studies suggest that a Western dietary pattern during pregnancy is associated with an increase in risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, including both autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), with the analysis published in Nature Metabolism. The initial prospective cohort was comprised of approximately 600 children (age 10) who were participants in the Copenhagen…
-
Vitamin D & Pregnancy
In a 2021 double-blind randomized trial which enrolled pregnant women in Northern Ireland, the primary outcome was the effect of vitamin D supplementation on levels of both maternal and umbilical 25-hydroxyvitamin D ([25(OH)D]), as well as the secondary goal of evaluating any impact of obesity. Two hundred and forty women (166 completed the study) were…
-
Omega-3s & Pregnancy
A report on the intake of fish and omega-3 fatty acids among pregnant women in the U.S. was recently published in Public Health Nutrition. This analysis included 23 cohorts that provided data on fish consumption and 35 cohorts with data on supplement use, together comprising the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) consortium.
-
Iron Supplementation During Pregnancy
Results of a randomized and triple-blinded clinical trial were recently published in Nutrients, reporting the effects of varying doses of iron on fetal growth and development when given to pregnant women, stratified by their hemoglobin levels. Nearly 800 pregnant women living in Spain (the ECLIPSES study) were included. Beginning in the 12th week of pregnancy,…
-
Morning Sickness Insights Discovered
A recent study published in the journal Nature has elucidated the etiological basis of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, commonly referred to as “morning sickness,” and its more severe form, hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). The multinational research, involving the University of Southern California, University of Cambridge, and Sri Lankan researchers, identifies the hormone GDF15, produced by…
-
Antioxidant-Rich Diet in Pregnancy
Human pregnancy can be influenced by a wide range of health issues that vary from mild and reversible to severe and life-threatening, and many of the major ones like pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes can be linked to oxidative stress. This may be because when the foeto-placental unit is poorly perfused, it produces more free radicals,…
-
Vitamin D & Pregnancy
In a 2021 double-blind randomized trial which enrolled pregnant women in Northern Ireland, the primary outcome was the effect of vitamin D supplementation on levels of both maternal and umbilical 25-hydroxyvitamin D ([25(OH)D]), as well as the secondary goal of evaluating any impact of obesity. Two hundred and forty women (166 completed the study) were…
-
The Importance of Choline Supplementation During Pregnancy
Researchers at Cornell University recently published results of their 7-year follow-up study, a randomized and controlled trial investigating the effects of varying maternal intakes of choline in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy on cognitive function, specifically the attention levels of their children. There was a high level of adherence to the study diet; all women…
-
The Importance of the Gut Microbiome During Pregnancy
As more data emerges supporting the importance of the gut microbiome during pregnancy, the link between changes in the microbiota during pregnancy and impaired metabolism and GI function also continues to grow. A recent small trial adds to this knowledge base; 32 participants were given a probiotic containing multiple strains of Lactobacillus as well as…
-
Pregnancy Vitamin D Levels Linked to Child IQ
Recent research has shown that a mother’s vitamin D levels during pregnancy are positively associated with their offspring’s IQ scores.