Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affects an estimated 14% of pregnancies worldwide. It is now clear that children born to mothers with GDM have an increased lifetime risk of metabolic diseases compared to unexposed children. Other long-term adverse consequences in the offspring include cardiovascular abnormalities, dysregulation of glucose metabolism, increased risk of allergic/respiratory disease, and neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Together, these findings highlight the importance of the intra-uterine environment as a driver of epigenetic changes in the offspring.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common metabolic disturbances that occurs during pregnancy. A successful approach for addressing GDM is the use of medical nutrition therapy. The goal of medical nutrition therapy is to meet maternal and fetal nutritional needs while maintaining optimal glycemic control. This strategy is based on providing individualized advice alongside practical tools and training to optimize nutrition self-management and healthy eating. Considering the impact of GDM on future health of the mother and the offspring, preventive strategies could have several benefits.

Preterm birth (PTB) is one of the most challenging problems in obstetric and neonatal care. Because of its complex etiology, the causes of PTB are unclear and there are currently no reliable strategies for prevention or treatment. Maternal nutrition before and during pregnancy plays a critical role in providing the necessary nutrients for fetal growth and may be an important modifiable risk factor for the prevention of PTB. Nutrients contribute to a variety of mechanisms that are potentially important to preterm delivery, such as infection, inflammation, oxidative stress, and muscle contractility. Current evidence indicates that the use of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may be a promising approach for PTB prevention.

Maternal undernutrition remains a critical public health problem with large regional and intra-country disparities in the prevalence of underweight, anemia, and micronutrient deficiencies. The greatest burden is seen among the poorest women in poor countries. Another major problem that disproportionately affects women of reproductive age is anemia, which is also associated with an increased risk of poor maternal and infant outcomes. A keydriver of poor nutrition is food insecurity. Despite the existence of evidence-based strategies for improving maternal nutrition during pregnancy, there are still large gaps in program implementation and outreach.