A narrative review investigating the benefits and risks of high-dose folic acid for women with pre-existing diabetes in periconception concludes doses of 4mg folate a day or 5mg every second day are warranted, taking individualised needs into consideration.
Supplements of omega-3 raise blood levels of the fatty acids for both pregnant mothers and their babies via the umbilical cord, according to a new prospective cohort study.
Researchers from the UK’s Quadram Institute present new evidence that points to the maternal microbiome influence on the baby’s mental and physical development.
More than 50% of pregnant women in the EU are carriers of gene variants that inhibit folic acid (vitamin B9) and cobalamin (vitamin B12) metabolism, leading to deficiencies that provoke maternal and foetal health complications.
The maternal health dietary supplements category is diversifying with the introduction of products containing probiotics and algal oil DHA – although multivitamins and folic acid remain the mainstays.
Improved post-natal maternal vitamin D supplementation does not have a significant effect on nasal pneumococcal colonization in early infancy, according to an RCT in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Research into the postpartum variations in human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) adds weight to the argument that extended breastfeeding is beneficial to infant development and may facilitate the development of new infant formula fortified with HMOs.
Consuming moderate levels of caffeine during pregnancy can reduce the risk of developing gestational diabetes, according to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania.
New research has provided fatty acid (FA) reference ranges for the first and third trimester of pregnancy in an aim to aid the more accurate assessment of FA adequacy in pregnancy.
New data suggests there is no association between prenatal vitamin D deficiency and offspring specific learning disorders, contrary to previous findings.
Paediatric experts have reviewed the nutritional constituents that have thus far been identified in human breast milk, along with their associated health benefits.
Women taking 1,000 mg of docosohexanoic acid (DHA) daily in the last half of pregnancy had a lower rate of early preterm birth than women taking the standard 200 mg dose, according to a new study involving over 1,000 women.
A new analysis of folic acid supplements available on the Spanish market for pregnant women has found supplements are consistent with declared dosages and meet legal requirements for stated health claims.
Supplementation of omega-3 in overweight pregnant women with low quality diets can lead to improved fetal growth, higher lean mass at birth and longer gestation, researchers say.
Fats and oils specialist Bunge Loders Croklaan (BLC) has unveiled a new premium lipid ingredient for baby formula which it claims allows manufacturers to get closer than ever before to the gold standard of mother’s milk.
Researchers have detailed the possible mechanism the mother's diet triggers in which human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) are shaped to boost the health benefits of maternal milk for the baby.
A high prevalence of folate inadequacy in Swiss women suggests an elevated risk of neural tube defects and calls for urgent measures to increase folate intakes, according to a new survey report.
A new study found that a mother’s vitamin D level during pregnancy is associated with their children's IQ — suggesting that higher vitamin D levels in pregnancy may lead to greater childhood IQ scores. The study also revealed significantly lower...
Vitamin D deficiency rates in pregnancy are high and could lead to worse performance in cognitive and language skills for the baby, according to a prospective longitudinal study of more than 400 mothers in Spain.
Nestlé has deep roots in the childhood nutrition category and its science-based focus is driving fresh and innovative approaches. FoodNavigator speaks to Nestlé SVP and head of Nutrition Thierry Philardeau about what he believes the future will hold for...
Post-natal stress has a link to changes in the bacterial composition of breast milk which may have implications for the long term health of babies, researchers have suggested.
Insufficient intakes of choline and the omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may have lifelong deleterious impacts on maternal and infant health, according to a paper by researchers from Pharmavite LLC, the company behind Nature’s Made supplements.
India's Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysore is working with Hassan deputy commissioner Rohini Sindhuri Dasari to develop a nutritional powder for economically disadvantaged pregnant and lactating women.
