Diet in pregnancy

In the first paper of this series (Thomson, 1958) I described a survey of the diets of 489 primigravidae living in Aberdeen during the years 1950-3. A straightforward comparison of the nutritive value of the diets with ‘recommended allowances ’ for pregnant women showed that many of the diets were substandard, but a more detailed analysis (Thomson, 1959a) led to the conclusion that they were not likely to cause abnormalities in the course and outcome of pregnancy. Yet the range of calorie intake was wide in all social classes, which might have some significance for health during pregnancy. These conclusions have now been tested by comparing the clinical histories of the subjects with the nutritive values of the diets they took during pregnancy. The results as a whole are discussed in relation to past studies of the influence of diet on the course and outcome of pregnancy.