Poor diet before pregnancy is linked with preterm birth

University of Adelaide research has for the first time confirmed that women who eat a poor diet before they become pregnant are around 50% more likely to have a preterm birth than those on a healthy diet.

Researchers at the University of Adelaide's Robinson Research Institute investigated the dietary patterns of more than 300 South Australian women to better understand their eating habits before pregnancy.

It's the first study of its kind to assess women's diet prior to conception and its association with outcomes at birth.

The results, published in The Journal of Nutrition, show that women who consistently ate a diet high in protein and fruit prior to becoming pregnant were less likely to have a preterm birth, while those who consistently ate high fat and sugar foods and takeaway were about 50% more likely to have a preterm birth.

"Preterm birth is a leading cause of infant disease and death and occurs in approximately one in 10 pregnancies globally. Anything we can do to better understand the conditions that lead to preterm birth will be important in helping to improve survival and long-term health outcomes for children," says the lead author of the paper, Dr Jessica Grieger, Posdoctoral Research Fellow with the Robinson Research Institute, based at the Lyell McEwin Hospital.

"In our study, women who ate protein-rich foods including lean meats, fish and chicken, as well as fruit, whole grains and vegetables, had significantly lower risk of preterm birth.

Poor pre-pregnancy diet 'dangerous' Women who do not eat properly in the run-up to falling pregnant could be risking the future health of their children, says a researcher.

Professor David Barker, of the MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Southampton, believes that the nutrition the foetus receives in its first days is vitally important.

If mums-to-be do not eat the right things in the build up to getting pregnant, he says, there could be damaging long-term effects.

Starting to eat properly once a woman finds out she is pregnant may be too late, he said.

Research monitoring the eating habits of 12,000 women in Southampton aged 20 to 34 suggested that 40% were eating an unhealthy diet, he said.

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Other studies have suggested that the quantity a baby eats in its first few weeks after birth may influence future risk of diabetes.

Professor Barker presented his findings at a conference in Lyon.

He said: "Much of what is important in pregnancy happens really early - life in the womb establishes the risk for coronary heart disease in later life.

"We're not suggesting anything revolutionary at all in terms of diet but the point is that many young women are not anywhere near getting it right."