Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Pregnancy and Its Benefits on Maternal-Fetal Health: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

IntroductionPregnancy is a transcendent period for the mother and the fetus, characterized by an increase on energy requirements. Mediterranean diet (MD) is considered a healthy eating pattern that can provide the nutritional requirements of pregnancy and protect from the development of obstetric pathologies.ObjectiveTo know the relationship between adherence to the MD and its maternal-fetal benefits.MethodologyA systematic review was conducted by identifying articles in the PubMed and Cochrane databases. The publication date of the studies was between 2010 and 2020, and the inclusion criteria established were that the articles were written in English and Spanish and were accessible in full text. Studies concerning assisted reproduction, gene modulation, conference abstracts, systematic reviews, and pilot studies were excluded.ResultsFinally, a total of 14 studies were included in the review. The association between the MD and the reduction of some pathologies of pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes, overweight or obesity, sleep quality, complications of childbirth, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and alterations in fetal growth was demonstrated, as well as perinatal problems, including birth weight, prematurity, gastroschisis, and other childhood problems.ConclusionThe MD is an optimal diet to consume during pregnancy.

Improving Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Early Pregnancy Using a Clinical Decision Support System; A Randomised Controlled Clinical Trial

“…It is well established that greater adherence to the MD during gestation is beneficial for the health of both the mother and the offspring [ 15 ]. MD is considered a healthy eating pattern that provides the nutritional requirements for the prevention of obstetric pathologies, such as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), overweight, complications of childbirth, and preeclampsia [ 33 , 34 ]. Several CDSSs have been used during pregnancy either for the prediction of pregnancy outcomes or for improving medical care quality and improving adherence to clinical practices and delivery outcomes [ 35 ].…”

Maternal Gestational Diabetes Is Associated with High Risk of Childhood Overweight and Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Study in Pre-School Children Aged 2–5 Years

“…Another limitation of our study deals with the fact that it did recorded neither feeding practices of mothers during their pregnancy nor eating habits of their children beyond the breastfeeding period. In this aspect, specific nutritional approaches such as the Mediterranean diet have been related to a significant decrease of certain gestational complications, such as GDM, overweight or obesity, sleep quality, childbirth difficulties, urinary tract infections, and alterations in fetal growth as well as perinatal problems including childbirth weight, prematurity, gastroschisis, and other childhood complications [ 74 ]. There is also substantial evidence that healthy dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet can decrease the risk of developing overweight and obesity through childhood up to adolescence [ 75 ].…”

Mediterranean Diet in Developmental Age: A Narrative Review of Current Evidences and Research Gaps

“…Nevertheless, the highest adherence was observed among women with a higher income, education, and higher levels of physical activity [ 11 , 12 , 13 ]. The effect of MD during pregnancy on the incidence of gestational diabetes, congenital defects such as gastroschisis in offspring, prematurity, and lower birth weight (SGA) is widely recognized [ 14 , 15 ]. However, Biagi et al point out the need for further randomized control trials to confirm the intermediate-level evidence linking maternal adherence to MD to the birth of a small-for-gestational-age baby, to preterm delivery, fetal growth restriction, and neural tube defects [ 16 ].…”