Page 67 - MHF-FeedingMinds-final.indd
P. 67
3.1
Preconception and Fertility
Summary
●● Maternal nutritional status at conception ●● Ideally, overweight and obese women should
affects fetal growth and development and has aim to reduce their weight to this ideal BMI at
implications for postnatal health. least four months prior to conception.
●● About 50 per cent of pregnancies are unplanned ●● Women planning a pregnancy should take folic
and fetal health and birth outcomes are acid and vitamin D supplements and avoid the
disadvantaged in a poorly nourished mother. same foods that should be avoided in pregnancy.
●● Both men and women planning conception ●● Nutritional factors can affect fertility in both
should follow a balanced nutritious diet and males and females.
aim for an ideal body mass index (BMI) of
18.5–25 kg/m2.
The nutritional status of both parents can affect Nutritional Advice Preconception
fertility and the chance of conception. Furthermore,
maternal nutritional status, in particular at the time If pregnancies are planned, nutritional status
of conception, is an important determinant of fetal preconception can be improved. However, only about
growth and development and lays the foundations 50 per cent of pregnancies in the UK are planned,
of the child’s future health. with higher income, better educated and older women
more likely to plan than low-income, young and
Mothers with a history of poor nutrition before poorly educated women. Good nutritional status in
conception may have low nutrient stores and, all women of childbearing age is therefore an ideal.
consequently, the fetus may have reduced access to
the nutrients needed for growth and development, Those planning a pregnancy should follow a
particularly in the early stages of gestation. This is balanced nutritious diet as detailed for pregnancy
particularly important for mothers whose in Chapter 3.2. In addition, women should take
nutritional intake is compromised by nausea and daily supplements of:
vomiting in the first three months.
●● 400 µg folic acid and
Women most at risk of poor nutritional status at
conception are those who: ●● 10 µg (400 IU) vitamin D.
●● eat a poor or unbalanced diet (this includes A higher dose of 5 mg folic acid/day is
many teenagers) recommended for women with:
●● are trying to lose weight on very low- ●● spina bifida
calorie diets that may be deficient in essential
nutrients ●● a history of a previous child with a neural tube
defect
●● have had several closely spaced pregnancies.
●● diabetes.
