Nutrition, Prenatal

Pregnancy and lactation are times of heightened nutritional vulnerability. Anatomical and physiological changes occur in the body of the mother during pregnancy to create a suitable environment for the growth of the fetus. A complex series of endocrinologic and metabolic changes that facilitate the handling of nutrients by the body tissues of the mother as well as their transfer to the fetus also take place. The growth of the fetus can be regarded as a result of the interaction between its genetic potential and the intrauterine environment.

The threat of malnutrition begins in the womb and continues throughout the life cycle. A pregnant woman who was malnourished as a fetus, young child, or adolescent is more likely to enter pregnancy stunted and malnourished. Her compromised nutritional ...