The COVID-19 pandemic intensified food insecurity (FI) and stress for many pregnant individuals, which may have contributed to adverse fetal developmental programming. This study aimed to identify key social determinants of health associated with pandemic-related FI and stress, and their association with gestational weight gain (GWG) and newborn birth weight in a Canadian pregnant cohort. Data were collected retrospectively from 273 pregnant individuals who delivered infants in Canada during the pandemic (March 2020–March 2023). Validated questionnaires were used to assess FI and pandemic-related stress, and GWG and infant birth weight were self-reported. FI was experienced by 55.7% of the participants, while 33.7% and 19.7% reported heightened stress related to COVID-19 infection and pregnancy preparedness, respectively. Participants from food-secure and food-insecure households differed significantly in parental structure, age, sexual orientation, housing status, household income, number of children in the household and pregnancy planning (all p values < 0.01). Heightened stress for both pregnancy preparedness and COVID-19 infection was also significantly associated with these same factors (all p values < 0.05) but not for age and housing status. FI and heightened stress were not associated with GWG outside the recommended range. However, significantly higher likelihood of birth weight extremes was observed with heightened COVID-19 infection-related stress (OR, 95% CI 1.50, 1.05–2.12, p = 0.02) and pregnancy preparedness-related stress (1.60, 1.10–2.31, p = 0.01), but not with FI. These findings underscore the influence of psychosocial factors on FI and stress during pregnancy, which may negatively impact infant health outcomes during the pandemic.

Small-for-gestational age (SGA) is an important global public health issue because of its increasing prevalence and long-term effects. Maternal smoking is a known risk factor for SGA; however, the effect of grandmaternal smoking on the risk of SGA in grandchildren SGA remains unclear. In this study, we examined whether grandmaternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with small birth weight, length, and head circumference for gestational age. Data were obtained from 23,730 pregnant women and their offspring from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Studies. A total of 1,130 grandmaternal-maternal-child triads were identified. Grandmaternal smoking during pregnancy was defined by the Maternal and Child Health Handbook owned by the mothers at birth mothers when they were born. Birth outcomes of grandchildren were obtained from medical records and converted to SGA using the 10th percentile for weight, length, and head circumference. A multivariate logistic regression and propensity scores were used for the analysis. Prevalence of <10th percentile for birth weight, length, and head circumference in grandmaternal smokers were 10.2%, 2.0%, and 10.2%, respectively. Grandmaternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with the lower grandchild’s birth weight (odds ratio (OR) [95% (CI)]: 2.86 [1.05–7.82]) and remained consistent when adjusted by propensity score (OR [95% CI]: 2.87 [1.04–7.92]). Grandmaternal smoking should not be ignored when assessing the SGA risk. Future work should consider the complex mediating relationship between smoking and growth restriction across generations.

A growing body of evidence shows an association between in utero Ramadan exposure and negative long-term consequences. Nonetheless, there is a scarcity of studies utilizing clinical measures in adults. This study investigates a possible association between in utero Ramadan exposure and mean arterial pressure (MAP) as well as random blood glucose (RBG) measures in the adult offspring. Using cross-sectional data from the Southeast Asia community observatory health and demographic surveillance system (SEACO) in Malaysia for two survey rounds (year 2013 and 2018), we compared MAP and RBG of in utero Ramadan-exposed Muslims with unexposed Muslims and non-Muslims. In utero Ramadan exposure was estimated based on the overlap between pregnancy (estimated from birth dates) and Ramadan periods. We conducted difference-in-differences analyses adjusted for age and birth months (seasonal effects). A total of 20,575 participants aged 35 or older were included in the analysis, comprising 12,696 Muslims and 7,879 non-Muslims. Difference-in-differences analyses revealed no statistically significant association between in utero Ramadan exposure and MAP, or between in utero Ramadan and RBG. These findings persisted in additional analyses examining the timing of Ramadan exposure during pregnancy.

Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to stress and depression, which can negatively impact birth outcomes and maternal care practices. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and determinants of stress, depression, and common mental disorders (CMDs) among pregnant women in East Lombok, Indonesia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study was part of the Action Against Stunting Hub. Data on maternal characteristics, dietary intake, anthropometry, and biochemical status were collected. Mental health was assessed during the second and third trimesters using validated instruments, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). The prevalence of maternal stress, depression, and CMDs was 86.3%, 26.5%, and 29.7%, respectively. CMDs were associated with iron deficiency (aOR 1.61) and not receiving government assistance (aOR 1.48). Low adherence to a healthy and diverse diet, i.e., limited intake of grains, tubers, eggs, fruits, and vegetables, was associated with increased odds of antenatal stress (aOR 1.59) and common mental disorders (aOR 1.60). For depression, significant factors included higher maternal education (aOR 2.27), low-to-moderate social support (aOR 1.72), and adherence to an unhealthy dietary pattern characterized by high sugar and fat intake (aOR 1.47). Targeted nutrition interventions, including food-based dietary recommendations (FBDR) and social safety net programs, are essential during pregnancy to support nutrient intake. In addition to addressing iron deficiency, integrated approaches that promote dietary diversity, provide government support to low-income households, and strengthen social support networks are recommended to improve maternal mental health outcomes.

Early life, or the neonatal period, is perhaps the most challenging time for ruminant livestock, as they adapt to the extra-uterine environment, undergo important physiological maturation, and navigate harsh ambient conditions. Maternal influences during gestation, especially energy and protein nutrition in late pregnancy, can alter many processes that affect the neonatal period. These processes include fetal growth and development, gestation length, difficulty of parturition, and maternal behavior, which interact to affect offspring vigor at birth. Moreover, colostrum and early milk production and composition are affected by gestational nutrition, and these along with the previous factors affect the neonate’s ability to obtain transfer of passive immunity, thermoregulate, perform basal metabolism, and ultimately survive to weaning. Often, the long-term effects of maternal nutrition during gestation on offspring are attributed solely to the prenatal environment, but it is critical to also consider influences of early life on later productivity and health. More research is needed to integrate these neonatal outcomes with prenatal and postnatal mechanisms as well as later ruminant livestock performance. Better understanding of the maternal environment’s effects on the neonatal period provides opportunity for improved management of ruminant livestock dams and offspring.

This study included postpartum women who survived the earthquake that occurred on February 6, 2023, with epicenters in Kahramanmaraş, and assessed their experiences, psychosocial needs using a qualitative research method. The findings were organized under 5 key themes: “psychological processes experienced during and after the earthquake,” “experiences related to pregnancy and childbirth,” “biopsychosocial problems experienced after the earthquake,” “experiences related to s workers,” and “expectations and needs of earthquake-affected mothers.” Codes were established for women that were specific to their emotional responses following the earthquake: fear, sorrow, anxiety, difficulty in controlling anger, hopelessness, exhaustion, and inability to experience the mourning process; concerning their emotional reactions at the moment of the earthquake: extreme fear, helplessness, shock, and grief response; and regarding the traumatic effects of the earthquake: post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic stress disorder. During and after an earthquake, pregnant and postpartum women have biopsychosocial needs such as shelter, food, clothing, hygiene, support, and care, and these needs should be prioritized. Early psychological interventions should be provided to help women deal with the negative traumatic experiences they encounter during this process. Relevant institutions should create individual care-focused support systems and early intervention to deliver comprehensive care following earthquake.

Iron deficiency anemia is a major health problem worldwide. Iron is an essential micronutrient in the human body; its demand increases with fetal growth and gestation. Although it has been reported that glucose metabolism is also affected by iron deficiency, only few studies have investigated the influence of iron deficiency during gestation and in offspring. In this study, glucose metabolism in newborns was investigated in terms of maternal iron deficiency prior to pregnancy in a rat model. Briefly, rats were divided into control (CL) and iron deficiency (ID) groups. The levels of serum glucose and insulin and the protein expression of liver GLUT2 in neonates born to dams in the ID group increased. In contrast, the mRNA and protein expression levels of GLUT2 and GLUT4 in the skeletal muscle tended to decrease. In addition, the expression of p-Akt (Thr308), which is involved in GLUT4 membrane translocation, decreased, suggesting that GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane may not have been sufficiently promoted. These results suggest that maternal iron deficiency may influence glucose metabolism in neonates and potentially increase the risk of developing metabolic abnormalities and lifestyle-related diseases later in life.

This pilot cross-sectional study, conducted in two public hospitals in Malawi, assessed gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in pregnant women attending antenatal clinics and compared their dietary quality and food group consumption before and during pregnancy. The study targeted women aged 18 to 49 years within 24 to 28 weeks of gestation. GDM was diagnosed according to the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group criteria and assessed dietary quality before and during pregnancy using a 30-day qualitative food frequency questionnaire. We compared changes in dietary quality and specific food group mean scores using paired t-tests at p < 0.05. Of the 508 women enrolled, 22.7% were diagnosed with GDM. The overall diet quality significantly decreased during pregnancy compared to before; a similar trend was observed in women diagnosed with GDM compared to those without GDM (p < 0.0001). Among women with GDM, the mean score of the following food groups significantly (p < 0.05) decreased during pregnancy: cruciferous vegetables, deep orange vegetables and tubers, citrus fruits, deep orange fruits, other fruits, nuts and seeds, poultry, fish, low fat dairy, whole grains, and liquid oils and significantly (p < 0.05) increased in the following food groups; red meat, processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, sweets, sugary snacks and ice cream. In conclusion, GDM is prevalent in Malawian women enrolled in this study and is coupled with inadequate dietary quality, especially during pregnancy. Since dietary quality is pivotal to GDM management, more in-depth longitudinal dietary studies are needed to inform nutritional interventions to prevent and better manage GDM.