Adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes such as pre-eclampsia and preterm birth are prevalent worldwide and are important causes of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. To reduce the occurrence of these adverse outcomes, risk factors should be identified that could be modified in pregnancy. Such modifiable risk factors may be maternal nutrition and gestational weight gain. However, not all aspects of maternal diet during pregnancy have been studied in relation with pregnancy and birth outcomes. In addition, previous studies have reported conflicting findings. Maternal nutrition during pregnancy can also affect health of the child later in life, although these effects have been predominantly shown in malnourished populations. Evidence on the association between maternal diet during pregnancy in well-nourished populations and outcomes regarding child health has been conflicting and requires future study. The aim of this thesis was to gain more insight into the role of maternal nutrition during pregnancy on health outcomes of women and their children. Thereby, we summarized current scientific literature in systematic reviews and we performed several observational studies that were embedded in the Generation R Study, an ongoing prospective population-based birth cohort in the city of Rotterdam.

O.H. Franco (Oscar) , E.A.P. Steegers (Eric) , J.C. Kiefte-de Jong (Jessica)
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Financial support for the publication of this thesis was kindly provided by the department of Epidemiology of the Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam; the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam; the Generation R Study; and the Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam. Financial support by the Dutch Heart Foundation is gratefully acknowledged. Additional financial support was kindly provided by Bridea Medical, Nutriticia Research and Chipsoft.
hdl.handle.net/1765/80025
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Tielemans, M. (2016, June 29). Eating for Two in Pregnancy. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1765/80025