IN my last column, I wrote about pregnancy planning and discussed what a woman should do to ensure that her body is in good shape before pregnancy so that she can conceive and bear a healthy baby.

Pregnancy planning includes practising healthy lifestyle habits, knowing your health status, getting your immunisations, and eliminating hazardous elements in your work and home environment.

Diet and nutrition form a major part of pregnancy planning, which will be discussed in this article.

Research has shown that a woman’s diet from the time before conceiving and during her pregnancy will have a direct effect on the birth weight as well as the long-term health of her child.

It is believed that events that occur early in life might not only affect the growth and development of unborn babies, but may also predispose them to increased risk of developing diseases in adult life. These effects may also be passed on to the next generation.

This concept is termed “foetal programming” and plays a big part in helping you achieve a healthy womb environment for your child’s optimal development.

Programming for the future

The science behind foetal programming suggests your diet from the period preceding your baby’s conception will have a direct effect on the overall long-term health of your child. Your diet can either protect or indirectly cause your child to suffer adult diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases later in life.

There is even research pointing to the intergenerational effects of foetal programming. Research led by Prof David JP Barker over the past 20 years shows that people with a low birth weight (weighing less than 2.5kg), or who were thin or stunted at birth, have high rates of coronary heart disease and related disorders like stroke, diabetes, and hypertension in adult life.

Mothers who gave birth to babies with a low birth weight were often born with a low birth weight themselves.

Therefore, if you eat a healthy diet before you conceive and continue with it during your pregnancy, the benefits will be reaped for several generations to come. A varied and balanced dietary intake will shape your child’s organs and systems in ways that will prepare your child for a long and healthy life.

A healthy womb environment

There are three basic principles to a healthy diet that are relevant for anyone at any stage in their lives, but more so for women of child-bearing age.

The first is variety, which means ensuring an adequate supply of essential nutrients by including a variety of foods from all the food groups (cereals, fruits and vegetables, meat, dairy products, and fats) in your meals every day.

Apart from variety, balance is also important to ensure that you get proportionate amounts of each food group according to the recommended daily servings. The basic idea of the food guide pyramid applies as well, with carbohydrates forming the biggest part of your plate, followed by vegetables and fruits, protein (including dairy), and small amounts of fats and oils.

Finally, remember the principle of moderation, which allows you to enjoy your food while keeping to the limits. Certain foods, such as cakes, chocolates, pastries, pisang goreng, and various kuih-muih, contain lots of calories but few nutrients – have these sparingly.

These principles apply throughout pregnancy because the developing foetus receives its nutrition from the mother’s blood, and excessive or low amounts of certain nutrients will be detrimental for the baby’s development and growth.

Supplementing the diet

Most women are aware of the importance of folic acid supplementation during pregnancy to prevent brain and spinal cord deformities (neural tube defects) in the unborn baby.

Research also indicates that starting folic acid supplementation three months before pregnancy, and continuing into the first trimester, can reduce the incidence of these defects.

The Malaysian Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) states that women between the ages of 19 and 65 require 400 micrograms of folic acid a day. This amount increases to 600 micrograms a day for pregant women.

Good food sources of folic acid are legumes (lentils, kidney beans, oatmeal), green leafy vegetables (spinach, asparagus, ladies’ fingers), and foods fortified with folic acid (such as cereals and bread).

Talk to your doctor about whether you need folic acid supplementation before you get pregnant. Do not start vitamin supplements on your own as it is dangerous for you to exceed the recommended levels of certain vitamins, such as vitamin A, which could cause harm to your baby.

Maternal milk supplementation

During pregnancy, you may find that you lose your appetite due to morning sickness, or due to certain food aversions. If you are unable to eat a variety of foods or adequate amounts of foods, you may require a maternal milk drink to supplement your diet with the right amount of nutrients. Your doctor may recommend that you take it throughout your pregnancy.

To provide your child with a healthy start in life, it is important for you to eat a healthy diet before and after conception. Furthermore, the benefits of your optimal nutritional status and health even before conception will be evident for several generations.

Remember, the key to a healthy diet is variety, balance, and moderation.

Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar is a consultant obstetrician & gynaecologist (FRCOG, UK). For further information, visit www.primanora.com. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.