You have probably heard that a woman's health and lifestyle choices during pregnancy can affect the health of her baby. But did you know that her choices before and during pregnancy may impact her baby's health, not just at birth, but for a lifetime? This “Link” between prenatal and lifelong health is so important, it has been called “the biggest story in human health."1
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"Until I saw the video [4-D ultrasound] of Katy at 20 weeks old, I could not relate to this lump growing inside me enough to want to give up my cigarettes. But as soon as I saw the beautiful pictures of my daughter, it felt criminal to do anything which might cause her harm. I stopped smoking straight away, gave up my glasses of wine and concentrated on making myself as healthy as possible to give Katy the best possible start in life."
Inadequate nutrition and the use of harmful substances before and during pregnancy place women at increased risk of pregnancy complications. These same prenatal factors also increase newborns' risk of future diseases, learning disabilities, and behavioral disorders.
Many factors influence a woman’s nutritional status and lifestyle choices (use of tobacco, alcohol, and other harmful substances) before and during pregnancy. Socioeconomic factors and preexisting medical conditions are among the important contributors.
In addition, a profound lack of awareness of early human development and the long-term consequences of dietary and lifestyle choices (as revealed in this new research) plays a significant role.
The good news is that these problems can be improved or prevented by changing perceptions and behaviors through effective education. Thanks to successful public health efforts, some progress has already been made. In spite of this progress, however, many men and women continue to engage in unhealthy behaviors. A new approach is needed.
Our Strategy: Make Pregnancy Real and RelevantMaking pregnancy real is important because profound knowledge gaps exist among teachers and students regarding basic early human development and must be remedied. The fastest way to bring everyone from the “lack of awareness” stage to the “I get it” stage is with stunning imagery. Making pregnancy real need not take longer than watching select portions of our 42-minute DVD. Building this visual foundation provides a memorable and scientifically accurate framework, allowing everyone to place related health information into proper context.
Making pregnancy relevant helps create the motivation that results in behavior change. If everyone better understood early human development and how a mother’s health influences the lifelong health of her baby, many people—women and men—would behave differently toward pregnancy and toward pregnant women.
Among chronic diseases, asthma is the most common reason that kids are absent from school. It afflicts 100,000 Americans per year. Researchers have found that kids born to mothers with low vitamin E intake during pregnancy may be at higher risk for childhood asthma by the age of five. Low intake of zinc during pregnancy is also associated with a higher risk of asthma in children.2
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is the term used to describe the many types of problems associated with alcohol use during pregnancy. Problems that may occur include cognitive impairment, behavioral problems, facial deformities, impaired growth, inability to live alone, and more. Complications range from mild to severe. Alcohol use during pregnancy is the only cause. FASDs are 100% preventable by avoiding alcohol during pregnancy.
Prematurity is one of the most challenging problems in medicine. Children born prematurely (earlier than 35 weeks following conception or 37 weeks after a woman's last period) are at risk for a variety of medical complications and learning complications.3 They also face a higher risk of death during infancy.
Researchers recently reported on a large group of women who took folic acid supplements for one year prior to conception. They enjoyed a 70% reduction in the incidence of severe prematurity (less than 26 weeks postconception) and a 50% reduction in moderately severe prematurity (26 to 28 weeks postconception).4
Prenatal factors can contribute to obesity. Babies exposed to tobacco during pregnancy are more likely to develop obesity as early as age three. Poor growth inside the womb from a variety of factors may also increase the risk. Avoiding tobacco during pregnancy and eating a healthy diet lower the risk of obesity as well as many other conditions!
Diabetes is a very serious disease present in epidemic proportions around the world. Although there is a genetic component, a baby exposed to smoking during pregnancy faces a higher risk of diabetes later in life.
Babies with impaired growth in the womb are also more likely to develop diabetes starting in adolescence. They are also more likely to develop cardiovascular disease and a variety of other conditions. (Breastfeeding, exercise,and vitamin D supplements after birth reportedly help decrease the risk.)
| 1 | McKeown LA, 2001. |
| 2 | Devereux G et al., 2006. 502. |
| 3 | Spong CY, 2007. 405. |
| 4 | The lead researcher of this not-yet-published study team is Radek Bukowski, M.D., Ph.D. For a description, see Gordon S, 2008. 1. |
