Diet and pregnancy

Summary In the past 50years the number of babies who are stillborn or die in the first few weeks of life has fallen dramatically. This is attributed largely to improvements in social conditions and to improved nutrition during childhood and adolescence. The majority of women who normally eat a varied diet can enjoy their normal foods during pregnancy and require no specific dietary advice other than that which applies to the population as a whole. The causes of low birth weight (a known risk factor for survival and normal development) and congenital defects remain a challenge to medical science.