Nutrition throughout the pregnancy journey

Nutrition is one of the most powerful determinants of maternal health and short- and long-term health outcomes for the child, yet the impact of nutrition throughout the pregnancy journey is often underestimated. The key components of dietary health during the periconceptional period relate to appropriate weight, body mass index (BMI) and weight gain throughout the pregnancy, as well as appropriate micronutrient supplementation, avoidance of harmful or toxic substances such as alcohol and tobacco, and the safe handling of food.

Complete and adequate nutrition assessment throughout the pregnancy journey enables timely detection of nutrient deficiencies that can be addressed with dietary interventions and multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS). Professors Di Renzo and Goenaga shared their expertise on nutritional interventions for improving pregnancy outcomes, with Chairman, Professor Zozo Nene during a symposium hosted at the 25th FIGO World Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Cape Town, October 2025.

You will learn:

• How the nutritional needs of women of reproductive age change throughout the pregnancy journey and with lactation
• Common nutritional deficits among women of reproductive age and how these adversely impact maternal and foetal health during pregnancy and postpartum
• The relationships between nutrient status during pregnancy/lactation and epigenetic effects favouring improved long-term health outcomes over the course of a child’s lifespan
• The benefits of multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) throughout pregnancy and lactation across the range of maternal age groups
• A clinical algorithm for the implementation of MMS throughout pregnancy and lactation.

Professor Gian Carlo Di Renzo
Obstetrics, Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecology
University of Perugia
 
Dr Zigor Campos Goenaga
Professor of Gynaecology and Obstetrics
Mexican Social Security Institute Mexico