Handbook of Nutrition and Pregnancy

This easy to use text provides practitioners and researchers with a global view of current and emerging issues concerned with successful pregnancy outcomes and approaches that have been successful or show promise in ensuring a successful pregnancy. The fully updated and revised second edition expands its scope with topics not covered in the first edition including pregnancy and military service; sleep disorders during pregnancy; the gut microbiome during pregnancy and the newborn; requirement for vitamin D in pregnancy; the environment--contaminants and pregnancy; preeclampsia and new approaches to treatment; health disparities for whites, blacks, and teen pregnancies; depression in pregnancy--role of yoga; safe food handling for successful pregnancy outcome; relationship of epigenetics and diet in pregnancy; caffeine during pregnancy; polycystic ovary syndrome; US Hispanics and preterm births; celiac disease and pregnancy; cannabis use during pregnancy. The second edition of Handbook of Nutrition and Pregnancy will be a valuable resource for clinicians and other healthcare professionals who treat and counsel women of child-bearing age and pregnant women.https://repository.lsu.edu/facultybooks/1014/thumbnail.jp

Endocannabinoid Metabolome Characterization of Transitional and Mature Human Milk

Recognized as the gold standard, human milk (HM) is an extremely complex yet fascinating biofluid tailored to meet an infant’s nutritional requirements throughout development. Endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid-like compounds (endocannabinoid metabolome, ECM) are endogenous lipid mediators derived from long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that have been identified in HM. Previous research has shown that arachidonoylglycerol might play a role in establishing the infant’s suckling response during lactation by activating the type 1 cannabinoid receptor in the infant’s brain. The mechanisms of action and the role of the ECM in HM are not fully understood. Transitional and mature milk samples were collected from lactating women (n = 24) for ECM characterization, quantification, and to evaluate differences among the two stages. HM samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Identified members of the ECM were: arachidonoylethanolamine, palmitoylethanolamine, oleoylethanolamine, docosahexaenoylethanolamine, eicoapentaenoylethanolamine, eicosenoylethanolamine, arachidonoylglycerol, palmitoyglycerol, oleoylglycerol, docosahexaenoylglycerol, eicosapentaenoylglycerol, eiconenooylglycerol, arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid. Only docosahexaenoylglycerol was different across transitional and mature milk (p ≤ 0.05). Data from this cohort suggest that bioactive constituents in HM may also play a role in infant health and development. Future studies can be developed based on this study’s data to help elucidate specific roles for each ECM member in addition to understanding how the ECM modulates infant health

Awareness of Listeria and high-risk food consumption behavior among pregnant women in Louisiana

© 2017 Elsevier Ltd Listeria monocytogenes is transmitted predominantly through contaminated food. About one in seven (14%) cases of Listeria infection occurs during pregnancy. In this study, we assessed the awareness of foodborne pathogens including Listeria and high-risk food consumption, among 218 pregnant women in southeastern Louisiana parishes in and around an urbanized area. The results showed the relationship between awareness of Listeria and selected demographic variables, such as age, race, and education level. The majority (71.1%) of pregnant women reported the consumption of high-risk foods during pregnancy. One person reportedly consumed six of the seven high-risk foods. Gaps existed between awareness of Listeria and high-risk food consumption behaviors, although as pregnant women\u27s awareness of Listeria increased, their high-risk food consumption behaviors decreased. Targeted continuing education for pregnant women in Louisiana should address the gaps identified in this study

Pilot trial evaluating maternal docosahexaenoic acid consumption during pregnancy: Decreased postpartum depressive symptomatology

Objective: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6, n-3) is a major structural component of neural tissue critical to neurotransmission and mood regulation. Poor maternal dietary intake coupled with accelerated maternal-fetal transfer of DHA compound risk for maternal deficiency. The objective of this investigation was to determine if maternal DHA supplementation is efficacious in reducing symptoms of postpartum depression. Methods: This pilot investigation was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled investigation of the role of DHA in preventing risk for postpartum depression. Women were assigned to: i) Placebo (no DHA, corn oil capsule), ii) DHA (300 mg DHA, fish oil capsule). Capsules were consumed from 24 to 40 weeks gestation (1 capsule 5 days/week). Forty-two participants were recruited (n = 20, intervention; n = 22, placebo). Maternal DHA status and depressive symptoms were followed from 24 to 40 weeks gestation using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS) from 2 weeks to 6 months postpartum. Results: PDSS total scores were significantly lower (p = 0.016; 46.03 ± 2.17, intervention vs. 52.11 ± 2.4, placebo) in the intervention group with less anxiety/insecurity (p = 0.03), emotional lability (p = 0.04) and loss of self (p = 0.02). Conclusions: Women in the DHA intervention group had fewer symptoms of postpartum depression compared to the placebo group. These results support the notion that the consumption of DHA by pregnant women can be efficacious in preventing depressive symptoms and highlight a need for further larger-scale investigations using the PDSS in tandem with a diagnostic evaluation