Nutrition for Mothers and Infants

Mothers and Infants: Nutrition Services, and Programs

• Maternal nutrition has a significant impact on the health of the next generation, and inadequate nutrition during pregnancy can lead to poor fetal development, infant mortality, birth defects, and retarded physical or mental development.

Trends in Maternal and Infant Health

• The United States has a high infant mortality rate (IMR) of 7.0, which is higher than several industrialized countries.
• There are differences in IMRs between ethnic groups and between poor and non-poor infants.

Primary Indicators of the Infant's Future Health Status

• Birth weight and length of pregnancy are the primary indicators of an infant's future health status.
• Decreasing the rate of all infant deaths in the first year of life and reducing alcohol, cigarettes, and drug abuse among pregnant women are essential.

International Factors Must Be Addressed

• Factors that must be addressed to decrease low birth weight include poverty, minority status, lack of access to healthcare, inability to pay for healthcare, poor nutrition, low educational achievement, unhygienic living conditions, and unhealthy habits like smoking and drug use.

National Goals for Maternal and Infant Health

• The country must focus on changing protective and risky behaviors that affect pregnancy outcomes, such as preconception screening and counseling to identify high-risk women.
• Healthy People 2010 Progress Review showed improvements in infant mortality rates for Hispanics, Whites, and American Indians, and an increase in breastfeeding among women of all races and ethnic groups.

Nutrition and Health for Mothers

• Maternal weight gain during pregnancy is crucial, and a healthy weight gain supports the health of the mother and the development of the fetus.
• A woman who begins pregnancy at a healthy weight should gain between 11 to 15 kg, with a suggested rate of 1-2 kg for the first trimester and a steady gain of about 0.5 kg per week thereafter.
• Excessive weight gain increases the risk of complications during delivery and postpartum obesity.

Maternal and Infant Health

• The effects of nutrition extend from one generation to the next, and this is especially clear during pregnancy.
• Inadequate nutrition during pregnancy can lead to infants being more likely to become ill, have birth defects, and suffer from retarded mental or physical development.

Trends in Maternal and Infant Health

• The United States spends more money on health care than most other countries, but its infant mortality rate (IMR) of 7.0 is higher than several industrialized countries.
• Differences in IMRs persist between ethnic groups and between poor and non-poor infants.
• In 2020, the estimated infant mortality rate was 7.0 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Primary Indicators of Infant's Future Health Status

• Birth weight and length of pregnancy are the primary indicators of an infant's future health status.
• Reducing the rate of all infant deaths in the first year of life is a key goal.

International Factors Must Be Addressed

• Poverty, minority status, lack of access to healthcare, inability to pay for healthcare, poor nutrition, low educational achievement, unhygienic living conditions, and unhealthful habits such as smoking and drug use must be addressed to decrease low birth weight.

National Goals for Maternal and Infant Health

• To further reduce infant mortality, the country must focus on changing protective and risky behaviors that affect pregnancy outcomes.
• Preconception screening and counseling are essential for identifying women who are at high risk of high blood pressure and other maternal complications.

National Goals for Maternal and Infant Health (continued)

• Progress has been made in reducing infant mortality rates for Hispanics, Whites, and American Indians.
• There has been an increase in breastfeeding among women in all race and ethnic groups.
• However, no progress or movement in the wrong direction has occurred in the areas of maternal death for African American women, iron deficiency in women aged 12 to 49 years, fetal alcohol syndrome, and low birth weight.

Nutrition and Health for Mothers

• Maternal weight gain during pregnancy is crucial for the health of the mother and the development of the fetus.
• Normal weight gain and adequate nutrition support the health of the mother and the development of the fetus.
• Low weight gain in pregnancy is associated with increased risk of delivering a low-birthweight infant.
• A woman who begins pregnancy at a healthy weight should gain between 11 to 15 kg.
• Excessive weight gain increases the risk of complications during delivery, as well as postpartum obesity.

Weight Gain During Pregnancy

• A weight gain of 11 to 15 kg is recommended during pregnancy, but for more accurate calculation, the normal healthy weight gain in pregnancy should be calculated according to the Body Mass Index (BMI).
• Overweight women (BMI > 25 kg/m2) are advised to gain 7 kg, while normal women (BMI 18.5-25 kg/m2) are advised to gain 10 kg, and underweight women (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2) are advised to gain 12 kg.