(P18-016-23) Dietary Intake During the Last Month of Pregnancy Among Women Who Gave Birth to Term and Preterm Infants and Its Association With Infant Anthropometric Measurements at Birth

Objectives: We aimed to assess dietary intake during the last month of pregnancy among women who gave birth to term (n=51) and very preterm (n=45) infants, compare participants’ intake to the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommendations for pregnant women, assess if maternal characteristics are associated with dietary intake, and examine the association between maternal dietary intake and infant anthropometric measurements at birth.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study evaluating maternal dietary intake during the last month of pregnancy using a Dietary Screener Questionnaire (DSQ) at a large teaching hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. All women were given the DSQ postpartum for self-administration to evaluate intake of seven dietary factors (fruits, vegetables, dairy, calcium, grains, fiber, and added sugar). Maternal characteristics and infant anthropometric measurements at birth (weight, length, body mass index- BMI, and head circumference) were collected from electronic medical records. Statistical analyses were conducted using pairwise testing and adjusted and unadjusted linear models.

Results: None of the women met the 2020-2025 DGA recommended intake of all seven dietary factors. Among the women who gave birth preterm, one (2%) met the recommended fruit intake, one (2%) met the recommended dairy intake, 12 (27%) met the recommended calcium intake, and 7 (16%) were below the threshold for added sugar. Among the women who gave birth at term, one (2%) met the recommended fruit intake, 11 (22%) met the recommended calcium intake, and 26 (51%) were below the recommended threshold for added sugar intake. We found significant associations between maternal characteristics and dietary intake. Additionally, maternal intake of several dietary factors was significantly associated with infant anthropometric measurements. 

Conclusions: Our results revealed that maternal dietary intake during the last month of pregnancy did not meet the DGA recommendations, and the intake of certain dietary factors was associated with maternal characteristics and infant anthropometric measurements. Our study reinforces the need to raise awareness about dietary intake during pregnancy, the new pregnancy-specific DGAs, and the importance of nutritional intervention to optimize maternal and infant health outcomes.

Funding Sources: NIH