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A review of the impact of dietary intakes in human pregnancy on infant birthweight.

Nutrients
January 1, 1970
Jessica A Grieger et al. (2 authors)
Journal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tReviewHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to evaluate the impact of dietary patterns, including low-fat dairy, on infant birthweight.

Results Summary

Consumption of whole foods such as low-fat dairy during pregnancy appears beneficial for appropriate birthweight, though specific efficacy data for dairy alone is not isolated.

Population

Pregnant women

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Throughout pregnancy (duration not specified)

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (7)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
omega-3 fatty acid supplements
no change
low birthweight (LBW)
-
insufficient evidence
insufficient evidence for ability to reduce risk
#1
zinc, calcium, and/or vitamin D supplementation
neutral
-
-
-
more robust evidence needs to be established
#2
iron supplementation
increase
birthweight
-
-
appears to increase
#3
iron supplementation
increase
maternal hemoglobin concentrations
-
-
increases
#4
folic acid supplements
no change
low birthweight (LBW)
-
limited evidence
limited evidence supporting the use to reduce the risk
#5
folic acid supplements
increase
birthweight
-
~130 g
may increase
#6
consumption of whole foods such as fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and lean meats
increase
appropriate birthweight
-
-
appears beneficial for
#7
Abstract

Studies assessing maternal dietary intakes and the relationship with birthweight are inconsistent, thus attempting to draw inferences on the role of maternal nutrition in determining the fetal growth trajectory is difficult. The aim of this review is to provide updated evidence from epidemiological and randomized controlled trials on the impact of dietary and supplemental intakes of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, zinc, folate, iron, calcium, and vitamin D, as well as dietary patterns, on infant birthweight. A comprehensive review of the literature was undertaken via the electronic databases Pubmed, Cochrane Library, and Medline. Included articles were those published in English, in scholarly journals, and which provided information about diet and nutrition during pregnancy and infant birthweight. There is insufficient evidence for omega-3 fatty acid supplements' ability to reduce risk of low birthweight (LBW), and more robust evidence from studies supplementing with zinc, calcium, and/or vitamin D needs to be established. Iron supplementation appears to increase birthweight, particularly when there are increases in maternal hemoglobin concentrations in the third trimester. There is limited evidence supporting the use of folic acid supplements to reduce the risk for LBW; however, supplementation may increase birthweight by ~130 g. Consumption of whole foods such as fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and lean meats throughout pregnancy appears beneficial for appropriate birthweight. Intervention studies with an understanding of optimal dietary patterns may provide promising results for both maternal and perinatal health. Outcomes from these studies will help determine what sort of dietary advice could be promoted to women during pregnancy in order to promote the best health for themselves and their baby.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Calcium, DietaryDietFatty Acids, Omega-3FemaleFetal DevelopmentFolic AcidHumansInfant, Low Birth WeightInfant, NewbornIron, DietaryMalnutritionMaternal Nutritional Physiological PhenomenaMeta-Analysis as TopicNutritional StatusObservational Studies as TopicPregnancyRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicVitamin D
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy75/10
Quality85/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations125
Citations/Year11.4
Relative Citation Ratio5.96
NIH Percentile94.8%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.95
Weight Score2.06
Normalized Score0.67
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