The Power of Pregnancy

When you're pregnant, and even preconception, how you prioritize your own health can shape your baby's health - not just at birth but for a lifetime. This incredible influence we have is due to epigenetics - a field of science revealing that your environment and lifestyle can turn certain genes "on" or "off" in your developing baby.  

What is Epigenetics?

Epigenetics refers to changes in gene expression that don't involve altering the DNA sequence. Instead, these changes act like light switches or dimmers, controlling how "bright" a gene is expressed. Research shows that what you eat, physical activity levels, and emotional well-being can leave epigenetic marks on your baby's genes, programming things like metabolism, immunity, and stress response. 

Examples of Epigenetic Changes During Pregnancy:

• Nutrition and Metabolic Health:

Diets low in quality protein or high in processed foods during pregnancy have been linked to changes in how a child's body regulates blood sugar and fat, raising the risk of metabolic disorders later in life.

High blood sugar during pregnancy, whether from gestational diabetes or excess sugar intake, can trigger epigenetic changes that increase a baby's risk for obesity and Type 2 Diabetes later in life.

On the flip side, eating a diet rich in whole foods - vegetables, fruits, whole grains, minimally processed animal proteins, and healthy fats - can promote epigenetic marks that help regulate your baby's metabolism, reducing their future risk of obesity and diabetes. 

How to promote: Focus on a variety of nutrient-dense foods and limit added sugars and ultra-processed foods. 

• Reduced Inflammation Through Omega-3s

Adequate intake of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically DHA, during pregnancy may positively influence genes that regulate inflammation and brain development in your baby.

How to promote:  Aim for 12 ounces of fatty fish/seafood (salmon, tuna, sardines) for optimal intake. If supplementing, choose one that provides at least 300mg/day. 

Note: some prenatal vitamins may include omega-3s, however it is best to supplement them separately. Omega-3 fatty acids are delicate and can easily oxidize, especially when mixed with other minerals (like in the same capsule as other nutrients in a prenatal).

• Optimal Brain Development with Choline 

Choline, primarily found in eggs, is essential for healthy brain development. Adequate choline intake during pregnancy is linked to improved memory and cognitive outcomes in children. 

How to promote: include choline-rich foods, like eggs, and consider a comprehensive prenatal vitamin that contains choline. 

• Healthy Stress Response

Practicing stress management, like having some "me" time, however that may look for you, may help reduce negative epigenetic changes on genes that regulate your child's stress response, leading to better emotional resilience.

I always follow-up my mention of stress management with the caveat, "easier said than done," because sometimes the talk of stress management may make you want to eye roll. But finding time to do something that brings you peace will help both you and baby. 

How to promote: Build daily habits, even just 5 minutes, that support relaxation and self-care. 

Setting the Stage for Lifelong Health

I present this information to empower you. Pregnancy is a time where you can not only optimize your own health but the health of your baby. By nourishing yourself and caring for your body and mind, you're giving your baby the very best start - laying the foundation for lifelong health. 

Ready to Optimize Your Prenatal Nutrition?

At Flourishing Nutrition, I work with you to build a prenatal nutrition plan that fits your needs, lifestyle, and goals - so you and your baby can flourish, now and in the future. 

References:

• Caudill, M. A. (2010). Pre- and postnatal health: Evidence of increased choline needs. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 110(8), 1198-1206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2010.05.009

• Coletta, J. M., Bell, S. J., & Roman, A. S. (2010). Omega-3 Fatty acids and pregnancy. Reviews in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 3(4), 163–171.

• Godfrey, K. M., Gluckman, P. D., & Hanson, M. A. (2017). Developmental origins of metabolic disease: Life course and intergenerational perspectives. Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism, 21(4), 199-205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tem.2009.01.007

• Słupecka-Ziemilska M, Wychowański P, Puzianowska-Kuznicka M. Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Affects Offspring's Epigenome. Is There a Way to Reduce the Negative Consequences? Nutrients. 2020 Sep 11;12(9):2792. doi: 10.3390/nu12092792. PMID: 32933073; PMCID: PMC7551316.

• Van Den Bergh, B. R. H., Mulder, E. J. H., Mennes, M., & Glover, V. (2017). Antenatal maternal anxiety and stress and the neurobehavioural development of the fetus and child: Links and possible mechanisms. A review. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 29(2), 237–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2004.10.007