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Preconception optimization of maternal weight, diet, and micronutrient status (specifically folate) is more effective for improving maternal and offspring health outcomes than interventions initiated during pregnancy.
If you are planning to have children, optimize your health now. Focus on achieving a healthy BMI and eating a balanced diet rich in folate (400 mcg/day) before you conceive. Waiting until you are pregnant to start these habits is less effective for preventing issues like excessive weight gain and hypertension.
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Recent intervention studies have shown that in obese pregnant mothers both pharmacological (metformin) and behavioural (diet/physical activity) interventions during pregnancy have only limited impact on maternal and infant perinatal outcomes, suggesting a need to intervene prior to conception if outcomes are to be improved.
Source
Nutrition During Pregnancy, Lactation and Early Childhood and its Implications for Maternal and Long-Term Child Health: The Early Nutrition Project Recommendations
Berthold Koletzko et al. · Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism · 2019
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