Pre- and Post- Conception and Early Infant Nutrition

(This page is very much at the early stages and will be added to)

Sinclair’s observations are particularly relevant in pregnancy (Link)

“The deficiency of any nutrient which is essential for every tissue will eventually lead to abnormal function in every tissue. That is so incontrovertibly obvious that I am continually astonished by the eminence of the medical scientists to whom it must be forcefully restated.”

“The second is that when deprivation of an essential nutrient occurs, not all tissues will be simultaneously and equally affected, and not all individuals will react in the same way. Which tissue shows symptoms first will depend on the genetic inheritance of the individual and on his or her exposure to environmental factors and lifestyle events.“

Nutrition preconception, during pregnancy and postpartum

Adequate nutrition of the mother; preconception, during pregnancy, and postpartum, so the foetus and developing infant, are crucial to later development and health.

Brain development starts very early in pregnancy, and irreversibly impacts determines future brain development – for example as illustrated in this slide;

A slide from a presentation given at the RSM by R Brown with thanks to the authors of the data.

Clearly all essential nutrients are of equally importance; the deficiency of any one will have widespread effects.

Many traditional cultures provided special foods to couples planning pregnancy, as recorded by Weston Price and other observers.

Pre-conception Preparation (Link)

Nutrition preconception is  essential to development of sperm, ova, maturation and implantation, as well as to ongoing development, and successful outcome.

Widespread Deficiencies before and during Pregnancy (Link)

Due to the modern nutrient depleted processed diets, many mothers, and particularly those with low income and pressured lives are probably less than optimally sufficient in many nutrients.

Three deficiencies that are known to be particularly widespread are Vitamin D (Link), Iodine (Link) and Omega 3s particularly the long chain EPA and DHA. Folic Acid levels also often give room for concern. They are far from the only ones, just possibly among the worst and most easily and cheaply remedied.

To be continued . . .