Pregnancy and Nutrition

Researchers from Michigan State University have found a link between obesity in women and pre-natal exposure to toxins found in fish. The study is the first to show that eating fish from polluted waters has an impact on contributing to obesity.

Twenty-one percent of Hispanic women are consuming enough folic acid to prevent certain birth defects before becoming pregnant, compared with more than 40% of white women, the North Denver News reports. Consuming adequate amounts of the dietary supplement before becoming pregnant can help prevent neural tube birth defects -- serious defects of the spine and brain. According to the News, roughly 3,000 infants are born with neural tube birth defects annually.

The effects of the conditions occur within the first few weeks of pregnancy, often before a woman is aware that she is pregnant.

Renowned cardiologist and biomedical sciences professor Dr. James Rippe is blanketing the nation’s airwaves today with a simple nutrition message important to everyone but never more so than busy moms at this time of the year as the school season gets underway.

“Many accusations today rely on speculation that tries to link single ingredients, including sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup to obesity,” says Dr. Rippe. “No single food or ingredient is the cause of obesity or overweight children. Eating too many calories and getting too little exercise causes it.”

A pregnant mouse's diet can induce epigenetic changes that increase the risk her offspring will develop allergic asthma, according to researchers at National Jewish Health and Duke University Medical Center. Pregnant mice that consumed diets high in supplements containing methyl-donors, such as folic acid, had offspring with more severe allergic airway disease than offspring from mice that consumed diets low in methyl-containing foods. The results of the study are being published Sept.

Pregnant women who take high levels of daily calcium supplements show a marked reduction in lead levels in their blood, suggesting calcium could play a critical role in reducing fetal and infant exposure.

A new study at the University of Michigan shows that women who take 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily have up to a 31 percent reduction in lead levels.

More research shows that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), mainly the omega-3s found in fish, benefit maternal and infant health, immune function and total parenteral nutrition (TPN). The June 2008 Fats of Life and PUFA Newsletter electronic publications summarize new findings in these areas.

Mothers eating nut products regularly during pregnancy increase the risk for their children to develop asthma.

A team of researchers from University of Utrecht examined 4000 pregnant women and followed their children for eight years. The women were asked to complete food questionnaire about food taken during pregnancy.

Lack of vitamin D during pregnancy leads to child's dental health problems in early childhood.

A team of researchers from University of Manitoba in Winnipeg and Victoria, Canada, examined 206 pregnant women. Only 21 (10.5%) women were found to have necessary levels of vitamin D. The rest of women had different levels of vitamin shortage.

Later, when researchers examined children at their average age of 16 months, they found that children of mothers who were found to have lack of vitamin D during pregnancy had serious problems with dental health.

Poor, junk food diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as lack of nutrition during this time leads to numerous long-term health problems for child.

A joint team of researchers from Royal Veterinary College and London's Wellcome Trust examined pregnant rats and offspring to clarify the link between mother's nutrition and child's health. Researchers divided rats into two groups: one given a healthy, balanced diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding, the other group was given a junk food diet with donuts, muffins, cookies, chips, and sweets.