Importance of Nutrition during the Gestation Period and Infant Development: A Nutrition Guide for Mother and Infant Health

Abstract

The current narrative review highlights the importance of awareness of proper nutritional diets for pregnant mothers and their infants. Nutritional deficiencies are a major cause of concern globally which affects many expecting mothers who struggle with a lack of knowledge regarding their dietary intake, putting their health and also the health of the fetus or new-born at risk. Therefore, the current manuscripts help highlight the importance of certain nutrients, vitamins and micronutrients important for pregnant women and the daily recommended dosages to avoid pregnancy-related complications at maximum. The manuscript also highlights the importance of awareness and educational programs that may be helpful to create awareness to ensure infant and expecting mothers’ nutrition. The review also tried to try to negate certain cultural norms and myths which become obstacles in making expecting mothers consume the right nutritious diet. The manuscript serves as a guide for the expecting mothers and their fetus development at different stages and their infants from the perspective of nutrition and cognitive development.