Nutrient Intake during Pregnancy and Post-Partum: ECLIPSES Study

Abstract

Pregnancy and post-partum are critical periods in which nutritional intake is essential to maternal and child health. Our aim was to describe dietary intake during pregnancy and post-partum and assess its adequacy. A longitudinal study was conducted on 793 pregnant women. Data about maternal characteristics, health, diet and lifestyle were assessed. Energy and nutritional intake were compared to the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA). The results showed that the intake of energy (82.6%), protein (80.6%) and carbohydrate (99.5%) was adequate (above 80% of RDA) during pregnancy, as were vitamins C, B2 and B12; but vitamin D, iron and folate intake were a long way from RDA (below 35%). Similar results were observed for the post-partum period although fiber, and vitamins E and C decreased compared to intake during pregnancy. In conclusion, although nutritional requirements increase during gestation, pregnant women did not increase their energy and nutritional intake during pregnancy and postpartum and they had a high risk of deficient intake of vitamin D, iron and folates during pregnancy, and therefore, of developing an unfavorable nutritional status, contrary to health recommendations. These findings underscore the necessity of intensive nutrition programs during and after pregnancy.

Changes in fatty acid levels (saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) during pregnancy

“…Our results are consistent with their findings, as they also found an increase in SFA and MUFA during pregnancy. This increase could be due to an increase in biosynthesis to cover requirements, since the rise in serum concentration may not be related to the small variation in the mothers’ dietary intake [ 30 , 31 ], as our research group found in this sample of healthy pregnant women in relation to their intake during pregnancy [ 32 ]. The SFA may play a key role in supporting foetal membrane growth, as the SFA bio-magnification process could help to satisfy AA demands in foetal circulation and DHA in the brain [ 33 ].…”

Nutritional Inadequacy: Unraveling the Methodological Challenges for the Application of the Probability Approach or the EAR Cut-Point Method—A Pregnancy Perspective

“…This study was approached from a pregnancy perspective. The fact that dietary intake was assessed only during the 2nd trimester, may be considered to be a limitation, since, the portrait of dietary intake may not be typical for the entire pregnancy period; nevertheless, previous studies have suggested that there is stability in dietary intakes across trimesters [57,68]. As stated in the Introduction Section, according to FIGO there is a cycle of passing "health capital" from one generation to the next [5].…”

The Cultural Assessment Model as an Evaluation Indicator for Nutritional Adequacy in Pregnant Women with Pre-eclampsia

“…During the period of pregnancy, pregnant women need an extra intake of calories of 300-400 kcal per day [32], [33]. They should consume balanced daily nutrition to prevent them from the excess energy that leads to the risk of obesity during pregnancy [14], [15], [34]. The results of this study indicated that the consumption of daily nutrition containing carbohydrates is associated with the incidence of pre-eclampsia with the p = 0.00 (OR = 3.545, 95% CI = 2.098, 13.158).…”

“…Another impact of pre-eclampsia is growthrelated disorders, the development of intrauterine growth retardation [8], [10], [11], and intrauterine fetal death [12], [13]. Pre-eclampsia may occur during the antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal with symptoms of hypertension, protein in the urine (proteinuria), and edema [6], [14], [15]. Although the cause of pre-eclampsia is still unclear, there seem to be some specific factors such as age, nulliparity, body mass index, mother's diet, hypertension, preexisting, history of pre-eclampsia, kidney disease, and diabetes mellitus [4], [16], [17], [18], [19].…”