Vitamin Supplementation in Pre-Pregnancy and Pregnancy among Women—Effects and Influencing Factors in Romania

Healthy dietary patterns during pregnancy are crucial for ensuring maternal and foetal health outcomes. Numerous methodologies exist for assessing the diet of pregnant women, including dietary patterns and various appraisal tools of diet quality. This study aimed to assess the dietary patterns and diet quality of pregnant women and to investigate the relationship between dietary patterns, diet quality estimators, and the adequacy of nutrient intake. EPIC FFQ was applied to a sample of 251 pregnant women, and questionnaires were interpreted with the FETA program. Dietary patterns were then determined by means of principal component analysis. Our results showed a substantial association between dietary patterns and total diet quality, as measured by the Diet Quality Index for Pregnancy (DQI-Pc), PURE Healthy Diet Score, and FIGO Diet Quality Score. We also found correlations between certain dietary patterns and particular nutrient intakes recommended by the European Food Safety Authority during pregnancy. The most deficient intake was registered for iron (86.1%), zinc (87.3%) and magnesium (79.3%), posing a threat to normal bone development, anaemia prophylaxis, and immune status. These results highlight the importance of assessing and understanding eating habits during pregnancy in order to achieve optimal outcomes for both the mother and the foetus.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Dietary Patterns of Pregnant Women and Their Association with Diet Quality Measures: A Comparative Analysis

Mitran,

Popa,

Gherasim

et al. 2024

“…In the absence of official national data pertaining to folic acid supplementation in Romania, owing to its over-the-counter availability, a comprehensive study conducted in 2021 analyzed a sample of 1280 pregnant women in Targu Mures. Of these, 70% did not use folic acid supplements prior to conception, and 31% did not use supplements during pregnancy either [43]. The lack of folic acid supplements associated with a low dietary intake of foods containing this nutrient, based on statistical data, should be a cause for concern.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Lifestyle and Dietary Patterns in Pregnancy and Their Impact on Health: A Comparative Analysis of Two Distinct Groups 10 Years Apart

Mitran,

Gherasim,

Niță

et al. 2024

The significance of dietary patterns during pregnancy is highlighted by accumulating evidence, emphasizing their pivotal role in promoting a healthy pregnancy for both the mother and the child. This study aimed to assess the current dietary patterns of pregnant women, compare the energy and nutrient intake of two distinct groups with a 10-year interval, and identify changes in dietary patterns. EPIC FFQ was applied, and its data were interpreted with the FETA program version 6 (CAMB/PQ/6/1205). By means of principal component analysis, three different food patterns were identified in each study group: vegetarian, balanced, and traditional (2013); and prudent, vegetarian, and modern (2023). Analyzing the relationship between food groups and gestational weight, we found that gestational weight gain in 2013 was positively correlated with eggs and egg dishes and milk and milk products, whereas in 2023, gestational weight gain was positively correlated with fats and oils, non-alcoholic beverages, and the modern pattern. Additionally, in 2023, pre-gestational BMI correlated positively with eggs and egg dishes. The balanced pattern emerged as a predictor for a lower likelihood of inadequate gestational weight gain in both groups. Furthermore, normal and overweight pregnant women showed a reduced likelihood of excessive gestational weight gain.

“…Correcting these risk factors through diet changes, the use of food supplements [46], lifestyle improvements, training medical personnel to identify these risk factors and inform patients and educate them for healthy behavior [47,48] can represent the preamble of alternative strategies for the prevention and treatment of recurrences of urinary infections, in people in good health, in order to limit the use of antibiotics (Figure 1).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis and Other Risk Factors in Women with a History of Urinary Tract Infections

Ruța,

Pribac,

Mardale

et al. 2024

Self Cite

(1) Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among otherwise healthy women represent a problem that requires additional understanding and approaches. Evidencing the link between dysbiosis and UTIs and the associated potential risk factors could lead to therapeutic approaches with increased efficiency under the conditions of reducing the risks associated with antibiotic treatments. The purpose of this study was to evaluate dysbiosis and other potential risk factors in women with a history of urinary tract infections; (2) Methods: Fecal dysbiosis tests were performed comparatively in two groups of women. The first group in-cluded women with recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTI) who had either two or more symp-tomatic episodes of UTI in the previous six months. The second group included women with spo-radic UTIs who did not have >1 UTI during a 12-month period and who did not have another UTI in the last 12 months; (3) Results: An association was shown between intestinal dysbiosis and recurrences of urinary tract infections. Increased body weight was associated with intestinal dysbiosis. Also, the lack of knowledge regarding the risk of using antibiotics and the benefits of probiotics was associated with both dysbiosis and recurrences of urinary tract infections; (4) Conclusions: Dysbiosis can have an impact on the recurrence of urinary tract infections. The risk factors for rUTI and dysbiosis in the sphere of lifestyle are potentially controllable, broadening the perspective for new approaches and changing the paradigm in the treatment of urinary tract infections.