High food quality, together with adequate macro- and micronutrient intake in pregnancy, is crucial for the health status of the mother and child. Recent findings suggest that it could also be beneficial or harmful in the context of the well-being of the whole future population. According to the developmental origins of health and disease hypothesis, most conditions that occur in adulthood originate in foetal life. Moreover, some epigenetic events, modified inter alia by diet, impact more than one generation. Still, the recommendations in most countries are neither popularised nor very detailed. While it seems to be important to direct diet trends towards a healthier lifestyle, the methods of preventing specific disorders like diabetes or asthma are not yet established and require further investigation. Conclusion: In this review, we will summarise the recommendations for diet composition in pregnancy, focusing on both diet quality and quantity. What is Known • High food quality, together with adequate macro- and micronutrient intake in pregnancy, is crucial for the health status of the mother and child. What is New • Recent findings suggest that the diet could be beneficial or harmful in the context of the well-being of the whole future population. Most conditions that occur in adulthood originate in foetal life. • Moreover, some epigenetic events, modified by diet impact more than one generation.

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Having pets in the house during the first years of life has been shown to protect against allergies. However, the result of different studies is heterogeneous. The aim of this study was to evaluate the methylation pattern in cord blood in relation to pet ownership during pregnancy. We investigated the methylation patterns of 96 cord blood samples, participants of the Epigenetic Hallmark of Maternal Atopy and Diet—ELMA project, born to mothers who either owned pets ( n = 32) or did not own pets ( n = 64) during their pregnancy. DNA from cord blood was analysed using the Infinium methylation EPIC. For statistical analysis, RnBeads software was applied. We found 113 differentially methylated sites (DMs) in the covariate-adjusted analysis (FDR p < 0.05), with small methylation differences. The top DMs were associated with genes: UBA7 , THRAP3 , GTDC1 , PDE8A and SBK2 . In the regional analysis, two promoter regions presented with significance: RN7SL621P and RNU6-211P . Cis-regulatory element analysis revealed significant associations with several immune-related pathways, such as regulation of IL18, Toll signalling, IL6 and complement. We conclude that pet exposure during pregnancy causes subtle but significant changes in methylation patterns in cord blood, which are reflected in the biological processes governing both innate and adaptive immune responses.

Background Worldwide, allergy affects more than one billion people, with particularly rising prevalence in industrialised areas. Specifically, young adults appear to be predominantly targeted for an allergy diagnosis. Allergic diseases in pregnancy are mainly pre-existing but could also occur de novo. The immunological changes while pregnant, with increased Th2 lymphocyte activity, can facilitate allergen sensitisation. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the pattern of specific IgE (sIgE) sensitisation to common inhalant and food allergens in pregnancy, and assess its relationship to self-reported allergic disease. Methods We assessed 200 pregnant women, aged 20–38 years (mean age = 29 years), participant of ELMA (Epigenetic Hallmark of Maternal Atopy and Diet) study, living in a metropolitan area, with no pregnancy associated metabolic complications, for total IgE and allergen specific IgE to 20 allergens. Results 48% of pregnant women were sensitised to at least one allergen, at a cut-off point of 0.35 kU/L and they were assigned as atopic. However 42% in atopic group were not reporting any allergic disease. The most common inhalant allergens were: pollen (24.5%) and animal dander (23.5%). The most common food allergens were: cow’s milk (5.5%) and apples (4.5%). 7.5% of women reported asthma, 21.5% allergic rhinitis, 11.5% atopic dermatitis and 18.5% food allergy. 8.5% of were taking medication for asthma or allergies. Atopic dermatitis had the highest tendency to become more severe during pregnancy. Total IgE values were significantly higher in atopic women. Conclusions Allergic sensitisation is a common phenomenon in pregnancy. Some sensitisations could be asymptomatic. Further studies should investigate if sensitisation in mothers confers risks for immune alterations in their children.