Pregnancy as a Fundamental Determinant of Child Health: a Review

Purpose of Review: Maternal conditions and exposures during pregnancy including over- and undernutrition are associated with poor childbirth outcomes, growth, development and chronic childhood diseases. We examined contemporary pregnancy-related determinants of child health. Recent Findings: While maternal undernutrition remains a major contributor to low birth weight, maternal obesity affects foetal growth, birth weight, survival and is associated with childhood obesity, asthma and autistic spectrum disorders. Emerging evidence suggests that epigenetic changes, the prenatal microbiome and maternal immune activation (MIA), a neuroinflammatory process induced by diet and other exposures cause foetal programming resulting in these chronic childhood diseases. Summary: Maternal diet is potentially a modifiable risk factor for controlling low birth weight, obesity and chronic disease in childhood. Further studies are warranted to refine guidance on dietary restriction and physical activity during pregnancy and determine how MIA and prenatal microbiota can be applied to control childhood diseases arising from programming.