How Much Can a Pregnancy Dietitian Impact Your Birth Outcomes?
We all know that good nutrition during pregnancy is essential for both maternal and infant health, but how much of a difference can working with a pregnancy dietitian actually make?
Please note this article does mention stillbirth and perinatal death as research outcomes, for more support on these issues please visit Stillbirth Organisation.
How Important is Nutrition in Pregnancy?
Pregnancy is a time of increased nutritional demands, and dietitians are perfectly placed to provide evidence-based guidance to help optimise an expectant mother’s diet for both their own health and their baby’s development, whilst also respecting the challenging symptoms of pregnancy like nausea & food aversions, reflux, fatigue, constipation and leg cramps. All of which can make eating well a real challenge during pregnancy – despite your best intentions.
Despite this, dietitians are not considered mandatory care members for pregnant individuals here in Australia nor in the USA and Canada.
However, the latest research has revealed that seeing a pregnancy dietitian is not a nice-to-have for pregnant women like a lovely pregnancy massage, but a must-have! A recent systematic review explored the direct impact of nutrition counselling on birth outcomes.
How Important Is Seeing a Pregnancy Dietitian?
The researchers set out to assess whether pregnancy dietitian support reduces the risk of adverse birth outcomes.
This study was a systematic review of 14 studies (both randomised controlled trials and observational studies), with sample sizes ranging from 87 to 2,377 participants.
The findings were clear: dietitian involvement significantly improved several key birth outcomes:
- Lower Risk of Low Birth Weight Babies: 4 out of 5 studies found that babies were less likely to be born underweight (< 2500 g) when a dietitian was part of the care team.
- Lower Risk of Preterm Birth: 4 out of 5 studies also found that dietitian support was associated with fewer premature births, which can have long-term impacts on a child’s health.
- Lower Risk of Infant Loss: Both studies that looked at stillbirth and infant loss found these outcomes were less common when a dietitian was involved.
Is a Pregnancy Dietitian Necessary?
These findings reinforce the importance of dietitians and focusing on your diet and lifestyle in pregnancy. A dietitian is not just a “nice-to-have” in pregnancy; they play a vital role in improving birth outcomes by:
- Helping expectant parents navigate their nutritional needs, even with pregnancy symptoms.
- Supporting healthy weight gain in alignment with your needs and pre-conception weight.
- Reducing the risk of pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia.
- Safeguarding your future child’s health risks.
- Providing evidence-based pregnancy supplement recommendations
Despite these clear benefits, dietitians remain an underutilised resource in many healthcare systems worldwide. This study adds to the growing evidence that nutrition support should be a standard part of pregnancy care.
Next Steps: Working with a Pregnancy Dietitian
If you’re planning a pregnancy or currently expecting, working with a fertility and pregnancy dietitian can help ensure you’re meeting your unique nutritional needs throughout the trimesters of pregnancy and prepare you for postpartum and breastfeeding too.
A fertility dietitian can assess your current diet, review key biochem markers, and create a personalised supplement and meal plan to support your fertility and pregnancy journey. We can help to bridge any nutritional gaps and provide expert guidance tailored to your unique circumstances, giving you confidence in your pregnancy nutrition.
Book a consultation with one of our expert pregnancy dietitians for personalised guidance and a plan to optimise your fertility journey!