Recommendations For Pregnant Women Research Articles

Application of Calm Pregnancy Based on Artificial Intelligence as an Early Anxiety Detection and Recommendations for Pregnant Women

This research aims to develop and test the Calm Pregnant application for early detection and recommendations for anxiety. The method used in this research uses two stages. The first stage is research and development (R&D), which aims to develop products whose quality will be tested. The trial results show that the Calm Pregnancy Application is relevant as a medium in speeding up early detection of anxiety by a difference of 172.65 seconds, speeding up the provision of recommendations to pregnant women by a difference of 250.79 seconds, and being able to get feedback from midwives directly. The Calm Pregnancy application has been proven to be effective for use by pregnant women, with an effectiveness rate of 90.5% (very high). The conclusion resulted in a product in the form of the Calm Pregnancy media application, which was proven to be effective in carrying out early detection and providing recommendations to pregnant women, as well as the Calm Pregnancy application, which has advanced features based on artificial intelligence. The difference in speed of time and provision of recommendations in early detection of anxiety is statistically significant.
 Keywords: Early Detection, Human in the Loop, Anxiety

Non-Communicable Diseases in Pregnant Women Based on A Behavioral Approach

Background: Early detection of pregnant women as a prevention of the risk of non-communicable diseases can be done with routine health checks. The general aim of this research is to produce a program from an artificial intelligence system to detect non-communicable diseases early and provide WhatsApp-based recommendations to pregnant women.
 Method: The implementation of this research began by creating a dataset obtained from the Medical Records Installation, namely data on pregnant women for 3 years from 2019 to mid-2023. Then the data obtained was coded, processed, and classified according to research needs, resulting in 9,289 data. The data is entered into machine learning to be processed by the machine to determine the mean risk factors, which will then produce prediction data. The first stage in data processing required is a machine learning application which will be used to process big data into predictions.
 Result: In this research, the application used is Google Collab, which is a default application from Google and can be used with various devices. In this study, the dataset used by researchers is a dataset that predicts heart disease, hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia and recommendations for pregnant women that provide good performance on each accuracy test. After the first process of data sharing, the training data is 90% and the 10% data is called testing data.
 Conclusion: The data obtained from pregnant women is then processed to obtain quality data by applying data cleaning using a scaler, namely data whose attribute values ​​will be empty so that the data becomes more accurate. A pregnant woman dataset of 9289 records with complete attributes of 9289 records will be used in the experimental process.

HIV positive pregnancy and nutrition

Background: If an HIV-positive woman becomes pregnant, certain complementary nutritional considerations must be justified, since pregnant women with HIV have greater needs to promote a healthy outcome. This review aims to provide information on HIV and pregnancy, nutrition, and infection, and how care and environment can be improved for these HIV positive women. Results: The search yielded a total of 120 articles, of which 102 were excluded by title, abstract, or year of publication. In total, as a result of this search, 20 articles were included, which met at least one of the criteria. Based on the results of the study, these show a great diversity in the changes and recommendations for pregnant women who show the pathology.

The Influence of Pregestational Body Mass Index and Physical Activity Patterns on Maternal, Delivery, and Newborn Outcomes in a Sample of Portuguese Pregnant Women: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Introduction: There is a linear association between pregestational body mass index (BMI) and almost all adverse pregnancy outcomes. Pregnancy is “a window of opportunities” in terms of changing behavior and improving awareness of healthy living. The proper assessment of physical activity levels, during pregnancy, determines trends, health benefits, and their effects over time. This study aims to describe maternal physical activity levels, stratified by pregestational BMI, verify the accomplishment of physical activity recommendations in pregnant women, and correlate pregestational BMI and physical activity accomplishment with maternal, delivery, and neonatal parameters. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out with 103 pregnant women. Physical activity levels were evaluated using a questionnaire and accelerometry. Pregestational BMI was obtained through the Quetelet formula and used the American College of Sports Medicine’s guidelines were used to determine physical activity accomplishment levels. Continuous data were presented as mean and standard deviation and categorical data as numbers and percentages. The F test was used to examine the differences between groups. Results: Pregnant women in the sample spent 42.9% of their time on household activities, and for pregnant women with obesity, 91.5% of the time was spent on sedentary activities. Women with normative BMI had higher levels of moderate-intensity activities. Only 15.8% of participants with obesity reached the international recommendations for physical activity practice and women who accomplished physical activity recommendations gained less weight during pregnancy. A high percentage of pre-obesity and obese pregnant women exceeded the recommendations for gestational weight gain and the gestational diabetes prevalence was higher in the obesity group (p = 0.03 between groups). Regarding delivery and neonatal parameters (Apgar score 1st, Apgar score 5th, birth weight, length and head circumference), no statistical differences were found when adjusted to a gestational week at birth, between BMI (p = 0.58; p = 0.18; p = 0.60; p = 0.34; p = 0.34, respectively) or physical activity (p = 0.12; p = 0.15; p = 0.83; p = 0.70; p = 0.70, respectively) groups. Conclusion: Pregnant women with obesity, exhibit high levels of sedentary behavior, a high prevalence of gestational diabetes, and exceed recommended gestational weight gain. Healthcare professionals have a crucial role in promoting regular physical activity and lifestyle changes before and during pregnancy.

Evaluation of Iodine Supplementation in Pregnant Women with Gestational Diabetes: IODIAB Study.

Iodine supplementation is indicated by the French National Authority for Health (HAS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) during pregnancy. This study investigates whether this supplementation is consistently prescribed in line with WHO recommendations in pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus. A total of 99 women with a diagnosis of gestational diabetes were included in the study and were all closely monitored. Only 17 (17.2%) patients received the recommended iodine supplementation. The follow-up, whether conducted by a gynecologist or midwife, did not influence the prescription of iodine supplements. By contrast, 72 (72.7%) of patients received folic acid supplementation. The prescription of iodine supplementation for the pregnant women included in our study is insufficient. Few practitioners seem aware of the recommendations, even when the pregnancy is complicated by gestational diabetes.

Food Supplement Use Differs from the Recommendations in Pregnant Women: A Multinational Survey.

The aim was to investigate, among pregnant women, (1) the use of food supplements and (2) the awareness of food supplement recommendations and beliefs about food supplement use in four European countries: Finland, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom. The participants (n = 1804) completed an online questionnaire with predefined statements. Daily intakes of vitamins and minerals were calculated using uploaded pictures or weblinks of the supplement packages. Country differences were assessed. Most participants (91%) used at least one food supplement during pregnancy. A prenatal multivitamin was the most commonly used supplement type (84% of the users), and 75% of the participants thought consumption of multivitamin is recommended. Of the participants, 81% knew that folic acid is recommended during pregnancy while 58% knew the recommendation for vitamin D. In 19% of the supplement users, the daily safe upper intake limit of at least one nutrient was exceeded. Nevertheless, most participants agreed that they knew which supplements (91%) and doses of supplements (87%) needed to be used during pregnancy. To conclude, the majority of the participants used food supplements, but lower proportions knew and adhered to the recommended intakes. Between-country differences were observed in the use and knowledge of and beliefs regarding supplements. The results suggest a need for assessment and monitoring of supplement use in antenatal care to ensure appropriate use.

Systematic review on complications in pregnant women with covid-19

On March 11, the WHO declared a pandemic that is affecting health worldwide, the same one that occurs by direct contact with infected people, which has evolved rapidly due to the transmission of massive contagions. The cause of this disease is still being sought, since pregnant women are more severely affected due to intrauterine transmission or by breastfeeding. To examine the scientific evidence on complications and recommendations in pregnant women infected with covid-19. Literature review the search strategy included the databases Pubmed, Google Academic, Web of Science and Scopus. Articles written in Spanish and English were searched, from which we found 289 articles published in the period 2019 and 2020. 17 articles related to the study theme were selected. All studies show that covid-19 affects pregnant women who are carriers of covid-19, the status of the study is interesting because it provides us with information to avoid massive infections, with a highersample size and higher quality.

The association between maternal characteristics and SARS-CoV-2 in pregnancy: a population-based registry study in Sweden and Norway

The objectives of the current study were to identify risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 positivity, and to address how different testing strategies, choice of comparison group, and population background characteristics may influence observed associations. National registries data for 107,627 pregnant women in Sweden and 81,195 in Norway, were used to identify risk factors for SARS-CoV-2, separately for women under non-universal testing (testing by indication) and universal testing (testing of all pregnant women in contact with a delivery ward). We also investigated underlying characteristics associated with testing for SARS-CoV-2. Overall, 2.1% of pregnant women in Sweden and 1.1% in Norway were test-positive during the pandemic’s first 18 months. We show that the choice of test strategy for SARS-CoV-2 provided different associations with risk factors for the disease; for instance, women who were overweight, obese or had gestational diabetes had increased odds of being test-positive under non-universal testing, but not under universal testing. Nevertheless, a consistent pattern of association between being born in the Middle East and Africa and test-positivity was found independent of test strategy and in both countries. These women were also less likely to get tested. Our results are useful to consider for surveillance and clinical recommendations for pregnant women during the current and future pandemics.

Urinary Iodine Status at Delivery in Rural Pregnant Mothers from KONKAN Region of India (BKLWHANC-2)

Adequate iodine is necessary in pregnancy for normal maternal as well as fetal thyroid function. Fetus cannot produce thyroid hormone so it is exclusively dependent on mother. During pregnancy, iodine demand is increased by 50%. An adequate intake of dietary iodine in pregnancy is essential for the normal neurodevelopment of the offspring. We measured urinary iodine concentrations in 220 pregnant women who reported for delivery at a rural hospital in the KONKAN region of the State of Maharashtra, India. The mean age and gestation at delivery were 26.9 years and 38.2 weeks respectively. The observed median UIC was 84.6μg/l. Urinary iodine of mother was not associated with neonatal anthropometric measurements (weight, length and head circumference). We have found low median UIC levels at delivery among pregnant women. The increased demand in pregnancy could be met by iodine supplementation or increasing iodine content in the salt. The burden of poor iodine status in pregnant women will further adversely affect the fetal neurodevelopment. There should be universal screening of every pregnant woman for the identification of iodine status. A simple strategy of improving iodine content in the salt beyond the current recommendation for pregnant women might be beneficial for mother as well as fetus but continuous monitoring for adequate iodine is warranted.

Assessment of actual nutrition in the first trimester of pregnancy as a premorbid indicator

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the actual nutrition of pregnant women in the first trimester as the basis for a personalized approach to pregnancy management.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: The actual nutrition during pregnancy was studied by analyzing the frequency of food consumption using the food weighing method, and the average daily indicators were calculated based on data for a period of one week. In total, 417 women were surveyed. The diet was characterized to identify deficiencies of the vitamins and minerals most significant for the reproductive system using the Individual Diet (My Body 3.0 version) software. Descriptive statistics methods were used to quantify the results. In the course of the work carried out, descriptive statistics methods were used.
 RESULTS: The energy value of the daily diet of pregnant women averaged 2294.3 487.21 kcal, which is within normal values (2070.03507.5 kcal / day), a surplus being observed in almost a third of the respondents (n = 118, 28.3%). The analysis of the diet showed that most of the patients had a deficiency in vitamins, macro- and microelements most significant for the reproductive system. On average, pregnant women consumed 155.0 0.52 g / day of folic acid with food, no woman receiving enough folic acid to prevent congenital malformations of the fetus. The average dietary intake of iodine was 70 g / day. Thus, focusing on the recommendations for pregnant women, a diet deficient in iodine was observed in 90% of the respondents, and only five women (1.2%) consumed a sufficient amount of iodine-containing products. It was found that pregnant women consumed 5.9 2.10 mg / day of zinc, with the recommended intake level of more than 12.5 mg / day not recorded in any woman. Iron deficiency was found in 289 respondents (69%). According to the survey results, more than half of the respondents (n = 269, 64.5%) had insufficient selenium intake. Calcium deficiency was registered in half of pregnant women (n = 210, 50.0%). Only every tenth woman (n = 48, 10.0%) consumed a sufficient amount of calcium containing food. Poor magnesium consumption was rarer and was found in only one third of the respondents (n = 135, 32.0%).
 CONCLUSIONS: The data obtained indicate the need to study the individual level of actually consumed vitamins and nutrients, which may be the basis for personalized selection of drugs and efficient microelement dosing strategy.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DIETS PROGRAM FOR PREECLAMPSIA ON BLOOD PRESSURE CONTROL AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN SOUTH TANGERANG

Background: Preeclampsia is one of three causes of death for pregnant women, contributed to about 27% of maternal mortality in Indonesia. One of intervention that can be made for pregnant women to handling preeclampsia is diet for preeclampsia.
 Objectives: The purpose this study was to investigate the effectiveness of diets program for preeclampsia on decreasing blood pressure in pregnant women.
 Methods: A pre-experimental design with one group pretest – posttest was carried out. Population was all pregnant women who experience preeclampsia in Public Health Center in Ciputat South Tangerang. Twenty pregnant women who met criteria and completed the intervention were included in this study by using purposive sampling. Researcher explained the program diet and participants received program diets for preeclampsia in the form of a food list table, and fill in a table of food they consumed every day. Sphygmomanometer to measure blood pressure was used. Data collection with measure blood pressure was performed three times, before intervention, two weeks after diet program and one month after diet program. Repeated Measures ANOVA was applied to analysis with α = 0.05.
 Results: The mean scores of Systolic blood pressure was 147.06; 143.81; 140.38 in first, second and third collection, respectively. Systolic blood pressure in pregnant women with preeclampsia significantly decreased within two weeks after intervention (F = 31.30; p-value = 0.0001; Eta Squared= 0.676). The mean score of diastolic blood pressure was 102.31, 99.00 and 91.56 respectively. Diastolic blood pressure within two weeks after intervention decreased (F= 19.05; p-value= 0.0001; Eta Squared= 0.560).
 Conclusion: Diets Programs for Preeclampsia could decrease both systole and diastole blood pressure. The recommendation for pregnant women who have Preeclampsia is to manage preeclampsia diets regularly.
 
 Keywords: Blood pressure, diets program, preeclampsia, pregnant.

Estrogen profile- and pharmacogenetics-based lamotrigine dosing regimen optimization: Recommendations for pregnant women with epilepsy

During pregnancy, various physiological changes occur that can alter the pharmacokinetics of antiepileptic drugs, such as lamotrigine (LTG). Anticipating the change in LTG dose required to achieve a pre-pregnancy target concentration is challenging. This study aimed to develop a refined population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) model of LTG in pregnant women with epilepsy (WWE) to identify factors explaining the variability in pharmacokinetics and to establish a model-informed individualized dosing regimen. On that basis, a coarsened model containing only clinical variables was also developed to examine its predictive performance compared to the refined model. In total, 322 concentration-time points from 51 pregnant WWE treated with LTG were employed to establish a refined PopPK model that included endogenous estrogen profiles, variants of candidate genes encoding LTG-metabolizing enzymes and -transporter proteins, and other clinical variables and a coarsened model that included only clinical variables, respectively. Data from an additional 11 patients were used for external validation of these two models. A nonlinear mixed-effect modeling approach was used for PopPK analysis of LTG. The standard goodness-of-fit method, bootstrap, normalized prediction distribution errors and external evaluation were adopted to estimate the stability and predictive performance of the candidate models. Akaike information criterion (AIC) was used to compare the goodness of fit between these two models. A lower AIC indicates a better fit of the data and the preferred model. Recommended dosing regimens for pregnant WWE were selected using Monte Carlo simulation based on the established optimal model. In the refined PopPK model, the population mean of apparent LTG clearance (CL/F) in pregnant WWE was estimated to be 2.82 L/h, with an inter-individual variability of 23.6%. PopPK analysis indicated that changes in estrogen profile during pregnancy were the predominant reason for the significant variations in LTG-CL/F. Up to the 3rd trimester, the concentration accumulation effect of E2 increased LTG-CL/F by 5.109 L/h from baseline levels. Contrary to effect of E2, E3 as the main circulating estrogen in pregnancy with a peak value of 34.41 ng/mL is 1000-fold higher than that in non-pregnancy reduced LTG-CL/F by 1.413 L/h. In addition, the UGT2B7 rs4356975 C > T and ABCB1 rs1128503 A > G variants may contribute to a better understanding of the inter-individual variability in LTG-CL/F. LTG-CL/F was 1.66-fold higher in UGT2B7 rs4356975 CT or TT genotype carriers than in CC genotype carriers. In contrast, ABCB1 rs1128503 GG genotype carriers had only 71.9% of the LTG-CL/F of AA or AG genotype carriers. In the coarsened PopPK model, the gestational age was a promising predictor of changes in LTG-CL/F. When comparing these two models, the refined PopPK model was favored over the coarsened PopPK model (AIC = −30.899 vs. −20.017). Monte Carlo simulation based on optimal PopPK model revealed that the LTG dosage administered to carriers of the UGT2B7 rs4356975 CT or TT genotype required a 33–50% increase to reach the pre-pregnancy target concentration, and carriers of the ABCB1 rs1128503 GG genotype required a 33–66% lower dose of LTG than carriers of the ABCB1 rs1128503 AA or AG genotype. Changes in estrogen profile during pregnancy was a better predictor of variations in LTG-CL/F than gestational age. The developed model based on estrogen profile and pharmacogenetics can serve as a foundation for further optimization of dosing regimens of LTG in pregnant WWE.

THE EFFECT OF PREGNANCY NUTRITIONAL CONSUMPTION IN LOW BIRTH WEIGHT RISK: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Low birth weight are conditions for babies born weighing less than 2500 grams. LBW is related to the nutrition of pregnant women obtained from the consumption of nutrition during pregnancy and nutrition of the mother before pregnancy. A well-nourished mother before and during pregnancy has a high probability of giving birth to a healthy baby, full term and normal birth weight. LBW is the highest predictor of infant mortality. The purpose of this literature is to determine how the influence of nutritional consumption of pregnant women on the risk of LBW. The method used is narrative review with the database used is Google Scholar, Pubmed and EBSCO. Keywords using Indonesian, pregnant women, low birth weight babies and English keywords, nutrients, pregnancy, low birth weight. Articles are sorted based on the author's critical analysis. There were 5 articles that explained that the nutritional consumption of pregnant women needs to pay attention to a proper diet and diet where the nutritional composition must be complete and sufficient so as to minimize the risk of LBW. The conclusion is that the consumption of nutrition of pregnant women with proper diet and diet can minimize LBW so that the recommendation for pregnant women is to fulfill the nutritional needs completely and adequately.

Reflections on a 38-Day-Old Japanese Encephalitis Patient Born to a Pregnant Traveler in Endemic Area: Strategies for Prevention.

Vaccination against Japanese encephalitis is recommended for long-term travelers to endemic areas; however, the recommendation for pregnant women is controversial. An infant was diagnosed with Japanese encephalitis whose mother moved to an endemic area while pregnant. Preventive strategies are discussed. An infant was diagnosed with Japanese encephalitis whose mother travelled to endemic area while pregnant. As preventive strategies, we suggest vaccination of mother before or during pregnancy before the travel, or application of physical barriers before the child's vaccination.

Maternal Hookworm Infection and Its Effects on Maternal Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Hookworm is an intestinal parasite that infects nearly 230 million people, with another 5.1 billion at risk, especially in poverty-stricken tropical and subtropical regions. Pregnancy is an especially vulnerable time for hookworm infection because of its effect on both maternal and subsequently fetal health. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. The meta-analysis was performed on the association between maternal hookworm and maternal anemia, as well as maternal hookworm coinfection with malaria. The prevalence of hookworm ranged from 1% to 78% in pregnant women, whereas malaria prevalence ranged from 11% to 81%. Pregnant women with hookworm infection were more likely to have anemia (combined odds ratio [cOR] 2.55 [2.20, 2.96], P < 0.001). In addition, pregnant woman with hookworm were more likely to have malaria coinfection (cOR 1.60 [1.38, 1.86], P < 0.001). Other effects on maternal and child health were investigated and summarized without systematic review or meta-analysis because of the limited study numbers. Despite current deworming recommendations in pregnant women, heavy hookworm burden, coinfection with malaria, and subsequent anemia persist. Although this is likely due, in part, to a lack of implementation of preventive chemotherapy, additional interventions such as health education, proper waste management, or linking malaria and soil-transmitted helminth treatment and prevention programs may also be needed. Further investigations on maternal-child outcomes as a result of hookworm infection during pregnancy will highlight public health interventional targets to reduce morbidity in pregnant women and children globally.

Recommendations for the treatment of epilepsy in adult and pediatric patients in Belgium: 2020 update

To guide health care professionals in Belgium in selecting the appropriate antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) for their epilepsy patients, a group of Belgian epilepsy experts developed recommendations for AED treatment in adults and children (initial recommendations in 2008, updated in 2012). As new drugs have become available, others have been withdrawn, new indications have been approved and recommendations for pregnant women have changed, a new update was pertinent. A group of Belgian epilepsy experts (partly overlapping with the group in charge of the 2008/2012 recommendations) evaluated the most recent international guidelines and relevant literature for their applicability to the Belgian situation (registration status, reimbursement, clinical practice) and updated the recommendations for initial monotherapy in adults and children and add-on treatment in adults. Recommendations for add-on treatment in children were also included (not covered in the 2008/2012 publications). Like the 2008/2012 publications, the current update also covers other important aspects related to the management of epilepsy, including the importance of early referral in drug-resistant epilepsy, pharmacokinetic properties and tolerability of AEDs, comorbidities, specific considerations in elderly and pregnant patients, generic substitution and the rapidly evolving field of precision medicine.

Resistance Training and Pregnancy

Resistance training has received growing attention as an important health and wellness recommendation for pregnant women. Resistance training focuses on increasing musculoskeletal fitness, which can improve functional capacity and psychological state to manage the day-to-day demands and discomforts of pregnancy as well as facilitating an easier labour and delivery process. The purpose of this commentary is to overview the benefits and implications that resistance training can elicit for pregnant women. Through this work, we establish the potential benefits of regular resistance training in pregnant women. An increasing body of research supports resistance training mediated changes in musculoskeletal fitness, functional status, and wellbeing. Further research is required to fully elucidate the risks associated with resistance training; however, the preponderance of information suggests that the benefits outweigh the risks of resistance training in pregnant women when appropriate safety measures are implemented.

Effect of CDC 2006 Revised HIV Testing Recommendations for Adults, Adolescents, Pregnant Women, and Newborns on State Laws, 2018.

In 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its recommendations for HIV testing of 4 population groups in health care settings: adults, adolescents, pregnant women, and newborns. Important components of the revised recommendations included opt-out routine HIV screening; eliminating prevention counseling for opt-out routine HIV screening; repeat HIV testing in the third trimester for all women at high risk for acquiring HIV and for women receiving health care in facilities and/or jurisdictions with high HIV burden; testing during labor and delivery for women with undocumented HIV status; and testing the newborn when the mother's HIV status is unknown. To assess the integration of these testing recommendations into state laws and to inform future recommendations, we researched and assessed statutes and regulations that addressed HIV testing in the 4 population groups in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in 2018. We then classified the laws, based on their consistency with the recommendations for each of the 4 population groups. Of 31 states and the District of Columbia that had relevant laws, all addressed at least 1 component of the recommendations. Although no state had laws that incorporated all the recommendations for all the population groups, 5 states (Delaware, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, and New Hampshire) had incorporated all the recommendations for adults and adolescents, and 4 states (Connecticut, Nevada, North Carolina, and West Virginia) had incorporated all the recommendations for pregnant women and newborns.

Maternal Caffeine Consumption and Racial Disparities in Fetal Telomere Length.

Background and Objectives:The identification of risk factors for shorter telomere length, especially during fetal development, would be important towards caffeine consumption recommendations for pregnant women on a global scale. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between caffeine intake and fetal telomere length as well as racial/ethnic differences in telomere length regardless of maternal caffeine consumption status.Methods:Caffeine intake was measured using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Three generalized linear models (GLM) were compared based on binary categorical variables of caffeine levels using data mean value of 117.3 mg as cut-off; the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations of 300 mg; and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommendations of 200 mg. The association between caffeine consumption and telomere length (telomere to single-copy [T/S] ratio) was then assessed.Results:Among 57 maternal-fetal dyads, 77.2% reported less than 200 mg of caffeine (ACOG) and 89.5% less than 300 mg (WHO). Both WHO and ACOG models found that caffeine intake was significantly and positively associated with longer telomere length (p<0.05); and sodium (p<0.05). Other” race (p<0.001) and “white” race (p<0.001) were also significantly and positively associated with longer telomere length in the same models. Increasing maternal age shortened telomere length significantly in all models (p<0.001).Conclusion and Global Health implications:Caffeine intake, maternal age, and race may be associated with alterations in fetal telomere length. This indicates that caffeine consumption during pregnancy may have long-term implications for fetal development. The racial/ethnic differences in telomere length found in this study warrant larger studies to further confirm these associations.

Maternal Impressions of the New 2019 Canadian Food Guide

Background: Canada’s new food guide was released on January 2019 followingits predecessor Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide released in 2007. Major changes in the new food guide included a partitioned plate of realfoods, messages around healthy eating being more than the foods you eat, and no feature of the milk and alternatives group. There were also no recommended servings for age groups or developmental stages including pregnant women.&#x0D; Objective: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of pregnant Canadian women toward the new Canada food guide.Methods: Eight pregnant women over the age of eighteen were recruited from facilities that offered prenatal fitness. Interviews included documenting impressions of the Canada food guide, dietary choices during pregnancy and planned dietary changes. The interviews were digitally recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Braun and Clarke thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.Results: All the participants were familiar with Canada food guides and all but three were aware of the newest version. Participants commented that the new food guide was appealing and healthy. Most participants had already madechanges to their daily diet that coincidentally corresponded to the new food guide. Many also followed the messages in the new food guide but reported that pregnancy was the main influence for food changes. Participants included more fruits and vegetables, and less meat than when they were not pregnant.The internet, family, physicians and previous knowledge were also used to inform food choices. Much of this information was however reported as too little and contradictory. Participants wanted information more specific to pregnant women which was not included in the new food guide.Conclusions: Canada’s new food guide reinforced actions that women were already taking to improve their diet during pregnancy. The new food guide offers broad recommendations for Canadians to follow but pregnant women prefer a guide that is specific with clear recommendations for pregnant women.