A woman lacking vital nutrients before and during pregnancy or using tobacco and alcohol during pregnancy faces a higher risk of pregnancy complications. Surprisingly, these same prenatal factors also increase her child's risk of behavioral and learning disabilities and elevate the risk of future disease all the way from childhood to old age.
Prevention begins with education. Long before young people may become involved in pregnancy-related issues, it is vital that they appreciate how a woman's health and lifestyle choices shape the lifelong health of her baby.