Nutrition during pregnancy Latvia eng

 

4.1   Patient  awareness  

Before  and  during  pregnancy,  women  and  their  partners  should  have  clear  information  about  

the  role  of  a  healthy  lifestyle  in  the  long-­‐term  health  of  the  mother  and  the  child.  All  health  care  

professionals  who  provide  services  and  advice  to  future  parents  should  agree  on  the  guidelines,  

so  as  not  to  give  contradictory  advice  on  nutrition  during  pregnancy.    

Special  attention  and  individual  dietary  recommendations  should  be  given  to  pregnant  women  

in  the  following  cases:  

-   maternal  obesity  (BMI  >  30  kg/m²),  which  is  associated  with  higher  risks  for  spontaneous  

abortion,   premature   birth,   gestational   diabetes   and   arterial   hypertension   for   the   mother  

and   a   higher   risk   for   increased   body   mass,   heart   disease   and   neural   tube   defect   for   the  

newborn;  

-   pregnancy  after  gastrointestinal  (especially  bariatric)  procedures,  which  are  associated  with  

a   risk   for   deficiency   in   multiple   vitamins   and   minerals,   often   resulting   in   anaemia   in   the  

expectant  mother  and  complications  for  the  fetus;  

-   adolescent  pregnancy,  which  is  often  is  accompanied  by  a  poor  diet,  alcohol  consumption  

and  smoking,  which  are  the  causes  of  a  number  of  health  risks  for  the  mother  and  child;  

-   addiction  of  expectant  mothers  to  tobacco  smoking,  alcohol  or  drugs;  

-   multi-­‐fetal   pregnancy,   which   should   be   strictly   monitored   to   ensure   that   the   nutritional  

needs  are  met;  

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-   pregnant  women  with  a  low  income,  who  may  have  a  poor,  imbalanced  diet;  

-   pregnant   women   who   have   a   vegan,   fruitarian   or   macrobiotic   diet,   who   risk   protein,  

multiple  vitamin  or  mineral  deficiency;  

-   pregnant  women  with  a  history  of  gastrointestinal  disease,  who  often  have  poor  uptake  of  

nutrients  and  reduced  bioavailability;  and  

-   pregnant  women  with  a  history  of  mental  disorder.  

Expectant  mothers  with  the  these  problems  should  have  individual  advice  on  nutrition  from  a  

dietician  or  nutritionist.