Vegetarian and vegan diets have increased worldwide in the last decades, according to the knowledge that they might prevent coronary heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Althought plant-based diets are at risk of nutritional deficiencies such as proteins, iron, vitamin D, calcium, iodine, omega-3, and vitamin B12, the available evidence shows that well planned vegetarian and vegan diets may be considered safe during pregnancy and lactation, but they require a strong awareness for a balanced intake of key nutrients. A review of the scientific literature in this field was performed, focusing specifically on observational studies in humans, in order to investigate protective effects elicited by maternal diets enriched in plant-derived foods and possible unfavorable outcomes related to micronutrients deficiencies and their impact on fetal development. A design of pregestational nutrition intervention is required in order to avoid maternal undernutrition and consequent impaired fetal growth.

The consumption of alcohol and drugs of abuse among pregnant women has experienced a significant increase in the last decades. Suitable maternal nutritional status is crucial to maintain the optimal environment for fetal development but if consumption of alcohol or drugs of abuse disrupt the intake of nutrients, the potential teratogenic effects of these substances increase. Despite evidence of the importance of nutrition in addicted pregnant women, there is a lack of information on the effects of alcohol and drugs of abuse on maternal nutritional status; so, the focus of this review was to provide an overview on the nutritional status of addicted mothers and fetuses. Alcohol and drugs consumption can interfere with the absorption of nutrients, impairing the quality and quantity of proper nutrient and energy intake, resulting in malnutrition especially of micronutrients (vitamins, omega–3, folic acid, zinc, choline, iron, copper, selenium). When maternal nutritional status is compromised by alcohol and drugs of abuse the supply of essential nutrients are not available for the fetus; this can result in fetal abnormalities like Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). It is critical to find a strategy to reduce fetal physical and neurological impairment as a result of prenatal alcohol and drugs of abuse exposure combined with poor maternal nutrition. Prenatal nutrition interventions and target therapy are required that may reverse the development of such abnormalities.

Background: The benefits of hypothermia on neurodevelopment of newborns ≥ 36 weeks gestation with hypoxicischemic encephalopathy have been shown in large clinical trials. The security of hypothermia in premature infants ≤ 36 weeks has not been rigorously evaluated, although its feasibility has been suggested in recent studies. The present study aims: 1) To describe extraneural involvement in infants 33-35 weeks gestation with severe hypoxicischemic encephalopathy treated with hypothermia 2) To compare organ dysfunction with infants ≥ 36 weeks gestation. Methods: Retrospective observational study of prospective data collected. Consecutive newborns of 33-35 weeks gestation, ≥ 1800g birth weight and severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy were included. Data were compared with a cohort of newborn infants ≥ 36 weeks with severe encephalopathy. Twenty clinical and laboratory variables of 6 organ-systems (cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, haematological, hepatic and pH and electrolytic imbalance) were studied and a multiorgan dysfunction scale was applied daily during the first 3 days of life. Results: Eight preterm newbors with severe HIE were compared with 31 term neonates with severe HIE. All infants presented with moderate-to-severe organ injury. There were no differences in most of organ variables, the number of affected organ-systems or the scores in the Multiorgan dysfunction Scale between both gestational age groups in the first 3 days of life (p>0.05). Conclusion: Organ injury in infants of 33-35 weeks gestation with severe HIE evaluated for hypothermia is not more severe regarding newborns ≥ 36 weeks gestation. Therapeutic hypothermia appears feasible in this gestational age group although clinical trials are needed to answer this question.