Supplementary Material for: Nutrition During Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes

Background: The ‘first 1000 days’ – the duration of pregnancy and the first two years of life – is widely recognized as a sensitive period of early life with implications for health and development throughout the life course. Optimal nutrition during pregnancy is therefore essential to reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and support healthy life trajectories. Summary: This narrative review summarizes the physiological changes during pregnancy and how these changes affect the energy and nutrient requirements in pregnancy to support maternal, placental, and fetal development and tissue accretion. Recommendations for weight gain and macro- and micro-nutrient requirements during pregnancy are summarized along with the current evidence. Key message: A balanced, diverse, and nutritious diet that meets (without exceeding) the higher energy needs for gestational weight gain and higher nutrient needs for maternal, placental, and fetal growth is universally recommended for healthy pregnancy outcomes.