May 5, 2017

A recent study found that many women have poor eating habits in the months leading up to pregnancy. Education and awareness about the foods we eat and how nutrition affects pregnancy is still greatly needed to nearly all cross sections of the United States.

The study surveyed more than 7,500 expecting mothers in their first trimesters who were patients at one of eight medical centers across the United States. The women answered questions about their nutrition habits in the three months leading up to pregnancy. Researchers then assessed their diet quality and energy sources and measured them against the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

What they found was that diet quality was suboptimal for all groups of women evaluated, and was particularly low among women who held less than a college degree. It also was lower for some minority groups.

Rather than whole grains, fruits and vegetables, top sources of energy for many women in the study were sugar-sweetened beverages, pasta dishes and grain desserts. Their primary sources of folate, iron and vitamin C were juices and enriched breads.

The findings are evidence that there is still a great deal of education and awareness that needs to be done to improve the diets of pregnant women, as diet has a direct effect on positive pregnancy outcomes. Early and ongoing prenatal nutritional support is essential to ensure a healthy pregnancy for both mothers and baby.

Supplements to Support Fertility, Conception and Pregnancy

Following recommended dietary guidelines every day can be tough for many women. Taking a daily prenatal vitamin can help fill nutritional gaps to achieve proper nutritional intake. Even if you are not planning on becoming pregnant, it is still important to take a daily prenatal vitamin.

The Prenate^® Vitamin Family offers a line of prenatal vitamins with folic acid. Each contains 1 mg folate as a blend of bioavailable L-methylfolate and traditional folic acid. This nutrient is critical in early pregnancy to a baby’s long-term and healthy development. Talk to your doctor to see which Prenate^® supplement is right for you.