Pregnancy

Practice Questions

Click on the Practice Question to view the synthesis of the literature and the practice guidance or recommendation.

• Assessment

  Q: What are the nutritional needs of a mother who is pregnant and breastfeeding an older child?

  Last Updated: 2012-09-15

• Intervention

  Q: What is the recommended weight gain in pregnancy?

  Last Updated: 2015-12-22

• Q: What are the indications for the use of vitamin/mineral supplements during pregnancy?

  Last Updated: 2015-12-22

• Q: Are vitamin A supplements (including cod/fish liver oil supplements) and other rich food sources of vitamin A, such as liver, safe to consume in any amount during pregnancy?

  Last Updated: 2012-11-12

• Q: What type of calcium supplements are safe to take during pregnancy?

  Last Updated: 2012-11-09

• Q: What is the effect of increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake during pregnancy?

  Last Updated: 2019-06-13

• Q: Are there safety concerns for the ingestion of fish in women who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or breastfeeding related to mercury contamination?

  Last Updated: 2019-08-26

  

  New evidence added that supports current practice recommendations and has resulted in a change in the grade of evidence.

• Q: What is the impact of caffeine intake in pregnancy and lactation?

  Last Updated: 2017-02-13

• Q: Is any amount of alcohol safe to consume during pregnancy?

  Last Updated: 2013-01-07

• Q: Is soy safe to take during pregnancy or the preconception period?

  Last Updated: 2012-06-22

• Q: Is flaxseed (ground flax, flaxseed oil, flax oil capsules) safe to consume during pregnancy?

  Last Updated: 2013-05-31

• Q: What herbal beverages/supplements are safe to take during pregnancy and lactation?

  Last Updated: 2012-09-14

• Q: Does the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content of the diet alter fetal development (length of gestation, birth weight and length)?

  Last Updated: 2016-03-14

• Q: Are there adverse effects of high protein diets (including protein powder supplements) in pregnant and lactating women?

  Last Updated: 2012-09-14

• Q: Does maternal consumption of nitrates during pregnancy (including cured meats containing sodium nitrate) increase health risks in children?

  Last Updated: 2011-12-01

• Q: Are pregnant women more at risk for serious health outcomes when exposed to foodborne pathogens than non-pregnant women or men? If so, what steps should be taken to reduce the risk of foodborne illness?

  Last Updated: 2014-05-14

• Q: Are there any nutritional concerns for women having closely spaced pregnancies?

  Last Updated: 2015-12-23

• Q: Are there any specific considerations with regard to the use of sweeteners (e.g. nonnutritive, artificial, sugar substitutes, intense, low calorie) in pregnancy/lactation?

  Last Updated: 2013-10-29

• Q: Are there any specific considerations with regard to the use of sugar alcohols as sweeteners in pregnancy/lactation?

  Last Updated: 2013-10-21

• Q: In high risk pregnant women (e.g. low income, low literacy or other at-risk groups), what interventions are effective in preventing low birth weight infants in the primary care setting?

  Last Updated: 2012-12-04

• Q: What dietary recommendations can benefit women without diabetes who experience hypoglycemia during pregnancy?

  Last Updated: 2015-12-23

• Q: What factors are associated with postpartum weight loss?

  Last Updated: 2015-12-23

• Q: What lifestyle factors (including body weight, diet and vitamin/mineral supplements) play a role in the treatment of infertility in women?

  Last Updated: 2015-12-23

• Related Practice Questions

  Q: What is the effect of fructose consumption during pregnancy on outcomes for the mother and child?

  Last Updated: 2019-05-29

• Q: What is the clinical evidence describing the safety of a very low carbohydrate (20-50 g/day) ketogenic diet during pregnancy?

  Last Updated: 2018-11-16

• Q: What are the nutrition concerns for pregnant women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?

  Last Updated: 2018-05-01

• Q: Does maternal fluoride supplementation during pregnancy and lactation (where community water supply does not contain recommended fluoride levels) impact the incidence of early childhood caries (ECC) in infancy and childhood?

  Last Updated: 2017-01-06

• Q: How do pregnancy weight gain patterns among Aboriginal and Indigenous women affect pregnancy outcomes and long-term infant health?

  Last Updated: 2016-11-29

• Q: What non-prescription therapies are effective for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy (first trimester)?

  Last Updated: 2016-04-14

• Q: Is there a role for any particular nutrients in the prevention or alleviation of leg or muscle cramps during pregnancy?

  Last Updated: 2016-01-11

• Q: Does bariatric surgery impact pregnancy outcomes in women of childbearing age?

  Last Updated: 2014-07-31

• Q: What effects does dietary choline intake outside of the AI have on the healthy population?

  Last Updated: 2014-03-17

• Q: Are there side-effects associated with choline supplementation for healthy individuals?

  Last Updated: 2014-03-28

• Q: Do infants born to vegetarian women (lacto-ovo, lacto, vegan), and who breastfeed their infant, require a vitamin B12 supplement?

  Last Updated: 2012-09-16

• Q: Do vegetarian diets support healthy birth weights and pregnancy outcomes?

  Last Updated: 2012-03-12

• Q: Are the Adequate Intakes (AIs) for alpha linolenic acid (ALA) adequate for vegetarian (lacto-ovo, lacto, and vegan) women who are pregnant and breastfeeding?

  Last Updated: 2012-09-14

• Q: Are there safety concerns for regular tea consumption in adults, including pregnant women, related to metal contamination?

  Last Updated: 2014-11-06

• Q: In pregnancy complicated by diabetes, does continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) result in improved glycemic control compared to multiple daily injections (MDI)?

  Last Updated: 2011-06-24