Energy balance
Dietary interventions during pregnancy significantly reduce total gestational weight gain (GWG) and cesarean section incidence, but do not significantly affect birth weight, preterm birth, or preeclampsia.
Pregnant women, especially those overweight or obese, should engage in dietary counseling focused on caloric balance and healthy food choices. This approach reliably reduces excessive weight gain and lowers the risk of cesarean section without harming the baby's birth weight. Focus on consistent monitoring and professional guidance rather than extreme restriction.
Dietary intervention significantly reduced total GWG (n = 1434; WMD = -1.92 kg; 95% CI = -3.65/-0.19; p = 0.03)... and incidence of cesarean section (n = 609; RR = 0.75; 95% CI = 0.60/0.94; p = 0.013). However, dietary intervention had no significant effect on... birth weight, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and preterm birth.
Why this rating
Systematic review of 13 RCTs/QCTs with meta-analysis, though heterogeneity was high (I2=89%).
Source
Systematic review of clinical trials on dietary interventions to prevent excessive weight gain during pregnancy among normal weight, overweight and obese women
Ida Tanentsapf et al. · BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth · 2011
DOI 10.1186/1471-2393-11-81
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