Impact of Maternal Nutrition on Pregnancy Outcomes and Infant Health
Keywords:
Maternal nutrition, pregnancy outcomes, neonatal health, low birth weight, antenatal care, public health, infant well-beingAbstract
Background: Maternal nutrition plays a pivotal role in shaping pregnancy outcomes and the health of the newborn. Despite global awareness, nutritional deficiencies among pregnant women remain a pressing issue, especially in low-resource settings. This study aimed to assess the impact of maternal nutritional status on pregnancy-related outcomes and neonatal health indicators.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2023 to March 2024, involving 91 pregnant women. Data were collected through structured interviews and hospital records, focusing on sociodemographic factors, dietary intake, supplement use, and pregnancy outcomes. Neonatal indicators such as birth weight, APGAR score, and breastfeeding initiation were also recorded. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: Nutritional inadequacy was ‘significantly associated with higher rates of anemia (p=0.000), preterm labor (p=0.009), and cesarean delivery (p=0.041)’. Neonates born to undernourished mothers had a greater likelihood of low birth weight (p=0.001) and lower APGAR scores (p=0.013). Access to nutritional counseling and frequent antenatal visits were strongly linked with improved maternal and infant outcomes.
Conclusion: Poor maternal nutrition adversely affects both the mother and infant, emphasizing the need for routine nutritional assessment, education, and supplementation during pregnancy
Downloads
Metrics
References
Marshall, N.E., et al., The importance of nutrition in pregnancy and lactation: lifelong consequences. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 2022. 226(5): p. 607-632.
Lassi, Z.S., et al., Impact of dietary interventions during pregnancy on maternal, neonatal, and child outcomes in low-and middle-income countries. Nutrients, 2020. 12(2): p. 531.
Mate, A., et al., Lifestyle, maternal nutrition and healthy pregnancy. Current vascular pharmacology, 2021. 19(2): p. 132-140.
Young, M.F. and U. Ramakrishnan, Maternal undernutrition before and during pregnancy and offspring health and development. Annals of nutrition & metabolism, 2021. 76(Suppl 3): p. 41-53.
von Salmuth, V., et al., Maternal-focused interventions to improve infant growth and nutritional status in low-middle income countries: A systematic review of reviews. PloS one, 2021. 16(8): p. e0256188.
Likhar, A. and M.S. Patil, Importance of maternal nutrition in the first 1,000 days of life and its effects on child development: a narrative review. Cureus, 2022. 14(10).
Zaidi, A.Z., S.E. Moore, and S.G. Okala, Impact of maternal nutritional supplementation during pregnancy and lactation on the infant gut or breastmilk microbiota: a systematic review. Nutrients, 2021. 13(4): p. 1137.
Keats, E.C., et al., Effects of vitamin and mineral supplementation during pregnancy on maternal, birth, child health and development outcomes in low‐and middle‐income countries: A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 2021. 17(2): p. e1127.
Oh, C., E.C. Keats, and Z.A. Bhutta, Vitamin and mineral supplementation during pregnancy on maternal, birth, child health and development outcomes in low-and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients, 2020. 12(2): p. 491.
Lassi, Z.S., et al., Effects of preconception care and periconception interventions on maternal nutritional status and birth outcomes in low-and middle-income countries: a systematic review. Nutrients, 2020. 12(3): p. 606.
Di Simone, N., et al., Recent insights on the maternal microbiota: impact on pregnancy outcomes. Frontiers in Immunology, 2020. 11: p. 528202.
Thayer, Z.M., J. Rutherford, and C.W. Kuzawa, The maternal nutritional buffering model: an evolutionary framework for pregnancy nutritional intervention. Evolution, medicine, and public health, 2020. 2020(1): p. 14-27.
Diabelková, J., et al., Adolescent pregnancy outcomes and risk factors. International journal of environmental research and public health, 2023. 20(5): p. 4113.
Madzorera, I., et al., Maternal dietary diversity and dietary quality scores in relation to adverse birth outcomes in Tanzanian women. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2020. 112(3): p. 695-706.
Avnon, T., et al., The impact of a vegan diet on pregnancy outcomes. Journal of Perinatology, 2021. 41(5): p. 1129-1133.
Rolfo, A., et al., Fetal–maternal exposure to endocrine disruptors: Correlation with diet intake and pregnancy outcomes. Nutrients, 2020. 12(6): p. 1744.
Jankovic‐Karasoulos, T., et al., Maternal folate, one‐carbon metabolism and pregnancy outcomes. Maternal & child nutrition, 2021. 17(1): p. e13064.
Chen, X., et al., The effects of prenatal exposure to temperature extremes on birth outcomes: the case of China. Journal of Population Economics, 2020. 33(4): p. 1263-1302.
Kyei, N.N., D. Boakye, and S. Gabrysch, Maternal mycotoxin exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review. Mycotoxin Research, 2020. 36(2): p. 243-255.
Forgie, A.J., et al., The impact of maternal and early life malnutrition on health: a diet-microbe perspective. BMC medicine, 2020. 18: p. 1-15
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
Terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
