Nutrition education and common maternal health and dietary outcomes during pregnancy: A scoping review

This review aimed to summarise the nutrition education programs and interventions that have sought to improve maternal health outcomes. Pregnancy is often considered a "teachable moment" when mothers may be motivated to adopt positive behavioural changes, including improving their nutrition habits. Pregnancy nutrition education is the provision of information and guidance on optimal nutritional practices that aim to support a healthy pregnancy. This scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Eight electronic databases were searched (Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Global Health, Scopus, PsycARTICLES, SocINDEX, Academic Search Complete) for studies reporting on nutrition education programs and interventions with pregnant women. Studies were included based on PICOS criteria, with no limitations on time and study design. Data were extracted and thematically analysed to identify the scope of diet, nutrition knowledge, and maternal outcomes included. This review includes 169 studies, which included various maternal outcomes, gestational weight gain; gestational diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and anaemia; dietary outcomes; nutritional status; and nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and/or behaviours. Significant positive results were observed for many health and dietary outcomes, with the exception of prevention of gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. A range of strategies have been used to deliver nutrition education. This inconsistency makes it challenging to summarize the key components of effective nutrition education and highlights the need for targeted approaches tailored to specific maternal outcomes.