A woman's nutritional status directly affects pregnancy outcome and the quality of breast milk after birth. Clinicians who provide prenatal care have an important role in assessing the nutritional status of women and directing them to appropriate resources while respecting their choices. Vegetarian and vegan diets may present with unique nutrient deficiencies that can be addressed during prenatal nutritional counseling.

Helicobacter pylori is a bacterial infection of the stomach, which may aggravate nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. Studies have found conflicting evidence of the role of H. pylori in severe nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum. Several women suffering from weight loss and experiencing continued nausea and vomiting were tested for H. pylori antibody during their pregnancy. This article reviews the outcomes of women with both positive and negative H. pylori tests, the treatment of H. pylori, and its controversial role in managing severe nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.

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Maternal mortality in Yemen is one of the highest in the world. Reaching the rural majority of the population with primary health care services has been a continual priority for the nation. Despite efforts to expand health services, access to maternal and child health care remains low. The training of community midwives nationwide has been undertaken recently to address the need for maternal and child health services, particularly in rural areas. Several lessons have been gained through this initial training that will improve future efforts.

Pregnant women without medical or obstetric problems should be encouraged to exercise. The paucity of experimental data on exercise in pregnancy forces recommendations to be drawn from a synthesis of available information. Vigorous exercise during pregnancy seems to pose no adverse maternal or neonatal outcomes. Nonetheless, the safety of vigorous exercise necessitates surveillance of fetal growth, the woman's weight, nutritional intake, and exercise duration and intensity.