Many women start pregnancy in sub-optimal health and nutritional state. Although undernutrition is still common in some countries, today more women enter pregnancy overweight or obese in low-, middle- and high-income countries.
All forms of malnutrition, including unbalanced diets, increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and sub-optimal long-term health for mother and child. In addition, pregnancy has specific nutrient requirements to support the physiological changes in the body as well as placental and fetal growth and development that are not easily met without making significant adjustments in the diet.