Nutrition and the Use of Supplements in Women During Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Objective: A healthy diet during pregnancy is essential to ensure optimal fetal growth and development. Women’s awareness of dietary guidelines may assist them in following a healthy diet for themselves and their unborn babies. The Institute of Medicine and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology have published recommendations concerning the nutrition of pregnant/nursing women. The Israeli Ministry of Health has adopted these recommendations in revised guidelines published in 2015. The aim of this study was to describe the dietary habits among pregnant/nursing women in Israel and to assess the correlation between socioeconomic parameters and adherence to those guidelines. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional survey by interviewing pregnant/lactating women attending family health centers (FHC) in different areas of Tel Aviv, Israel. Results: One-half of the 239 recruited women reported having been informed of the guidelines for dietary changes during and after pregnancy, 30% by a professional source. Women in a lower socioeconomic status (SES) consumed more undercooked (rare) beef, raw fish, and caffeine compared to women in a higher SES (P = 0.03 and P = 0.003, respectively). The former was less compliant with the recommendation for folic acid supplementation (155 [(88.1]) vs 47 [(77]), P = 0.05) and less likely to use other dietary supplements during pregnancy, e.g., multivitamins and omega 3, than the latter (P = 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: This survey revealed deficiencies in adherence to the implementation of medical guidelines to nutrition during and after pregnancy, as well as gaps between women of different SESs, mostly in the use of dietary supplements.