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BackgroundMaternal diet is known to impact pregnancy outcome. Following a low glycemic index (GI) diet during pregnancy has been shown to improve maternal glycemia and reduce infant birthweight and may be associated with a higher fibre intake. We assessed the impact of a low GI dietary intervention on maternal GI, nutritional intake and gestational weight gain (GWG) during pregnancy. Compliance and acceptability of the low GI diet was also examined.MethodEight hundred women were randomised in early pregnancy to receive low GI and healthy eating dietary advice or to receive standard maternity care. The intervention group received dietary advice at a group education session before 22 weeks gestation. All women completed a 3 day food diary during each trimester of pregnancy. Two hundred and thirty five women from the intervention arm and 285 women from the control arm returned complete 3x3d FDs and were included in the present analysis.ResultsMaternal GI was significantly reduced in the intervention group at trimester 2 and 3. The numbers of women within the lowest quartile of GI increased from 37% in trimester 1 to 52% in trimester 3 (P < 0.001) among the intervention group. The intervention group had significantly lower energy intake (P < 0.05), higher protein (% TE) (P < 0.01) and higher dietary fibre intake (P < 0.01) post intervention. Consumption of food groups with known high GI values were significantly reduced among the intervention group. Women in the intervention low GI group were less likely to exceed the Institute of Medicine’s GWG goals.ConclusionA dietary intervention in early pregnancy had a positive influence on maternal GI, food and nutrient intakes and GWG. Following a low GI diet may be particularly beneficial for women at risk of exceeding the GWG goals for pregnancy.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials Registration Number: ISRCTN54392969.

Background: Pregnant women living at northerly latitudes are at risk of suboptimal vitamin D status. There is a paucity of studies correlating knowledge, attitudes and practices of vitamin D with serum levels amongst pregnant women. We aimed to determine the prevalence of suboptimal vitamin D status in pregnant women of various ethnicities attending two Dublin maternity hospitals and to assess levels of knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning vitamin D. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 116 pregnant women of Irish, Asian, Sub-Saharan African and Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) origin. Vitamin D status was determined by measurement of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD). We examined knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning vitamin D using an interview-assisted questionnaire. Results: The median (interquartile range) 25OHD level was 25.9 (16.5-44.7) nmol L -1 . Using a cut-off point of <30 nmol L -1 , the proportion at

The effects of ball-milling and cryomilling on sulfamerazine forms I and II (SMZ FI, FII) were investigated using X-ray powder diffraction, IR and NIR spectroscopy. Cryomilling resulted in the complete amorphization of both polymorphs. Milling at room temperature gave mixtures of amorphous SMZ (FA) and FII. Calibration models were developed for the quantitative analysis of binary (FI/FII, FI/FA and FII/FA) and ternary (FI/FII/FA) mixtures using NIR spectroscopy combined with partial least-squares (PLS) regression. The PLS models for binary (0 -100 %), ternary (0 -100 %) and low level (0 -10 %) binary mixtures had root-mean-square errors of prediction of 1.8, 5.1 and 0.80 %, respectively. The calibration models were used to obtain a detailed quantitative picture of solid-state transformations during milling and any subsequent recrystallizations. FA prepared by cryomilling FI for less than 60 min. recrystallized to mixtures of FI and FII, while samples milled for more than 60 min. crystallized to pure FII. The effect of co-milling SMZ with stoichiometric amounts of additives was investigated. SMZ formed amorphous materials with oxalic, DL-tartaric and citric acids that were more stable towards recrystallization than FA.Amorphous SMZ/oxalic acid was found to recrystallize to a 2:1 co-crystal during storage.

This study demonstrates the benefit of a multidisciplinary group educational session delivered by a specialized midwife and a dietitian on pregnant women's knowledge and understanding of GDM.