Nutrition for the childbearing years

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature on preconceptional nutrition and nutrition during pregnancy and lactation, focusing on recommendations from the Institute of Medicine. DATA SOURCES: Computerized searches on MEDLINE, CINAHL, National Institutes of Health and Institute of Medicine web sites. STUDY SELECTION: Articles from indexed journals and reports from government sources relevant to the topics of this review and published after 1990 (except for classic findings) were evaluated. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were analyzed under the headings of preconceptional nutrition, prenatal nutrition, nutrition during lactation, and nursing implications. DATA SYNTHESIS: The nutrition a woman receives before conception, during pregnancy, and during lactation affects her health and the health of her child. Information on the amount and timing of prenatal weight gain, recommended intakes of vitamins and minerals, and nutrition and activity during lactation have been revised in the last 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: The health, size, and growth of the infant are dependent on the timing and amount of weight gain during pregnancy and on maternal nutrition during lactation. Prenatal weight gain also affects a woman's future risk of obesity.