What you eat during pregnancy, is what your growing baby eats. Today we attempt to answer the question: is nutrition during pregnancy really that important?
The answer: ABSOLUTELY IT IS.
The First 1000 Days
Research that looked at the dietary intakes of pregnant women, showed that there were no pregnant women correctly following the Australian Dietary Guidelines in pregnancy. Despite nearly two thirds of women believing they were eating correctly for pregnancy, and following a healthy diet (1). From conception to birth there is a period of rapid growth and development, and nutrition plays an essential role in this. When women become pregnant, there is very little education provided around what to eat, which can make it difficult to eat correctly. You don’t know what you don’t know, right?
The first 1000 days is key when pinpointing the importance of nutrition intervention, education, environmental exposures, and lifestyle. The first 1000 days refers to the period 1 month prior to conception to 2 years of age.
How is baby affected by mum’s nutrition?
Reduced Risk of Chronic Illness
Prior to and during pregnancy, exposure to environmental factors can have major impacts on the child’s long-term health. These include an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease, neurodegenerative disorders, and allergy (2).
Appropriate nutrition in pregnancy may improve a child’s immune development. Nutrition can affect the child’s gut microbiome which is a BIG area of research and very hot topic in the health world. Optimising immune function through maternal nutrition, can improve the quantity of antibodies that travel across the placenta. In simple words, baby is better protected against illness once they are born.
Consumption of common food allergens during pregnancy can also reduce your child’s risk of developing allergies (3). Intake of certain foods in pregnancy can even reduce the risk of conditions such as eczema and asthma. What a mother eats, the baby eats, exposing them to different flavour profiles. Children are less likely to be fussy eaters when they are exposed to more foods in utero.
The role of nutrition and environment is so vital, that research has shown that a baby’s health is more influenced by this, than determined by genes (4).
Importance of appropriate weight gain during pregnancy
Maternal under nutrition and over nutrition in pregnancy increases risk of childhood obesity and change in genetic programming. Gestational starvation can cause an increase in fat deposits as a biological compensatory mechanism, and over nutrition can lead to impaired metabolic development (4). On the flip side of this, pre-pregnancy BMI and excess maternal gestational weight gain are risk factors for gestational diabetes in mothers. This also leads to development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in childhood and adulthood for the baby (5).
Omega 3 fatty acid intake decreases the risk of preterm delivery and enhances cognitive development (4). Other research looked at the Mediterranean diet and concluded that adequate consumption of the Mediterranean diet in early pregnancy improved birth outcomes such as improved intrauterine size, birth weight, and reduced risk of preterm delivery. Women who had dietetic intervention were less likely to gain excess gestational weight gain, improving their long-term health and the long-term health of their baby (6).
Key nutrients during pregnancy and the preconception period
Prenatal supplementation and a preconception blood test is useful to determine nutrient deficiencies of folate, B12, iodine, vitamin D and iron. Some key preconception nutrients include:
Folate (or folic acid)
- Folate or folic acid is needed in pregnancy for the growth and formation of the neural tube. The neural tube is a collection of cells that eventually go on to make the brain, spinal cord, and central nervous system. Folate contributes to DNA synthesis, cell repair and growth. The terms folic acid and folate are used interchangeably! Folate is the naturally occurring form found in food and folic acid is the form commonly found in supplements. Both work the same in adding to your levels.
Iodine
- Iodine is involved in production of the thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone is involved in regulating metabolism and plays a key role in brain and body growth and development. Thyroid hormone also contributes to the development of a healthy nervous system and in regulating your 5 senses. During pregnancy, your iodine requirement increases, as your thyroid activity increases. It is recommended that you work on increasing your iodine intake 6 months before trying to conceive, as it can take some time for your levels to increase. For advice around which iron supplements may suit you, book in for a consultation here.
Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B12 plays a role in mental alertness, DNA synthesis, red blood cell formation and the conversion of energy. Folate and Vitamin B12 rely on one another to work correctly. This is important in pregnancy to reduce the risk of central nervous system birth defects.
Iron
- Anaemia or iron deficiency impacts cognitive and behavioural development in childhood (5). Iron is essential in your body to produce red blood cells, aiding in oxygen transport around the body. Low iron levels can contribute to increased levels of fatigue, poorer concentration and in some cases an inability to fight off infection. During pregnancy, a person’s blood volume increases by up to 50% to support both mother and baby. Anaemia during pregnancy can continue after the baby is born, and in some cases can affect the baby’s iron stores. The last 10 weeks of pregnancy is most important as it sets up your baby’s iron stores for the first 6 months of life, until they begin solids
Vitamin D
- Research has shown that women who were vitamin D deficient in pregnancy, are more likely to develop pre-eclampsia or experience preterm birth (7). Vitamin D also assists with calcium absorption. Babies who came from mothers who were vitamin D deficient, are also more likely to experience vitamin D deficiency, affecting bone growth. The research around the role of Vitamin D in immune function is continually emerging. It is important to have your vitamin D levels checked prior to conception as it can take some time for levels to improve.
Calcium
- Calcium plays a vital role in strengthening bones and teeth, regulating muscle & heart function, blood clotting and more! Unfortunately our bodies don’t make calcium, so we need to get it from our food (or a boost from supplements). During pregnancy, your body takes calcium from your own bones and/or teeth to give to your growing baby. It is essential that mummas take care of themselves by meeting those all-important calcium requirements
Choline
- An essential nutrient for humans and many other animals, choline plays an important role in cell membrane signalling, fat transport and metabolism. Most importantly in pregnancy, it plays a role in early brain development, and placental development. This includes development of the all-important neural tube.
So, this covers the impact of nutrition on pregnancy outcomes, but what about how nutrition may improve your actual pregnancy?
Having adequate nutrition in pregnancy can improve energy levels, and support regular bowel movements. Adequate nutrition can also combat pregnancy side effects such as reflux, nausea, and vomiting. Managing side effects in pregnancy, with a focus on nutrient repletion can make your pregnancy more enjoyable. Nine months of pregnancy can be a long time if you aren’t enjoying your pregnancy. Every little bit of improvement in the above symptoms will make a world of difference. Even having lower amounts of stress and anxiety in pregnancy can decrease your baby’s risk of developing mental health conditions (8). Any work you do to improve your nutritional status in pregnancy, is going to impact both you and your babies future. Pretty cool if you think about it!
If you would like some preconception or pregnancy nutrition support, or help with supplementation during pregnancy, book a one-on-one consultation with us here. If you have any questions feel free to DM us on Instagram @big_sis_nutrition, or email at bianca@bigsisnutrition.com.au
Until next time,
Big Sis x
