Human pregnancy is a sensitive and complex process that involves the development of a fetus into a newborn baby. With this, standard and proper care should be provided for the mother and baby. Preconception care is vital as it contributes to achieving a healthy pregnancy and positive pregnancy outcomes. The article stated some prenatal factors affecting fetal development which are environmental factors and lifestyle in which these are major etiological determinants of myriad obstetrical complications, pediatric chronic diseases, and perhaps some genetic mutations.
The release of thousands of chemical agents into our air, water, soil, and food has contributed to the majority of people being exposed to harmful toxicants on a daily basis, mainly through the consumption of foods and fluids, the application of skincare products to the skin, and, most importantly, the inhalation of polluted air. Exposure of pregnant mothers to various chemicals and toxins is known to have an adverse effect on pregnancy outcomes and the development of the fetus. Toxicant contamination leads to a wide range of health issues such as autism, mental illness, cancer, and widespread morbidity and mortality.
Lifestyle is another prenatal factor affecting pregnancy. Consumption of healthy food is important it affects the nutritional status of the mother. Different nutritional deficiencies in pregnancy can have a drastic effect on the incidence of illness in the developing fetus. Folate deficiency is the most common and known condition in which mothers who do not have enough of this vital vitamin B can lead to an increased risk of open neural tube defects, miscarriage, and Down’s syndrome. Moreover, lack of gestation iron can result in cognitive and immune impairment in the offspring. Furthermore, insufficiency of material iodine is associated with pediatric hypothyroidism and intellectual disabilities. Insufficient maternal vitamin B12 can also have potential fetal sequelae, including cleft palate, of maternal biotin deficiency; and shown to elevate the risk for neural tube defects. In addition, initial studies regarding magnesium propose maternal magnesium sufficiency may be linked to pregnancy outcomes as well as the long-term health of the infant. Vitamin D insufficiency can also have an effect on the pregnancy as it may be associated with first-trimester pregnancy loss, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, preterm birth, higher rates of primary and emergency Caesarean delivery, small for gestational age infants, and maternal postpartum depression. Lastly, gestational docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) insufficiency is known to have numerous deleterious health outcomes for both mother and child. DHA deficiency has been linked with preterm labor, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and postpartum depression in women. It was shown that children born to mothers with inadequate DHA may be at an increased risk for central nervous system disturbances, poor sleep patterns, lower IQs, and impaired blood pressure control as they grow older.
The article also presents how the biome of a woman affects the pregnancy and the outcome. The microbial flora of a pregnant woman alters throughout pregnancy and differs greatly from that of a non-pregnant woman. Changes in the maternal microbiome at any stage during pregnancy may have an effect on fetal development and gestational health. Intake of antibiotics is one of the factors in altering the maternal biome which can lead to a bacterial infection in the first three months of the baby. Moreover, forms of delivery such as Caesarean delivery had significantly increased risk of asthma, systemic connective tissue disorders, juvenile arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, immune deficiencies, leukemia, celiac disease, and type 1 diabetes.
It shows that most human illness, including pregnancy-related disease, is etiologically related to environmental factors and lifestyle. In order to ensure optimal health for the mother and the kid, every woman should be fully educated and informed prior to and during her pregnancy. Healthcare professionals should advocate for health education about healthy and safe motherhood.
Reference:
Genuis, S. J., & Genuis, R. A. (2016). Preconception Care: A New Standard of Care within Maternal Health Services. BioMed Research International, 2016, 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/6150976