Human milk is a dynamic, bioactive fluid that supports infant growth, development, and immune protection. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), characterised by glucose intolerance with onset during pregnancy, is associated with altered maternal metabolism that may persist postpartum and affect lactation and milk composition. To systematically evaluate and meta-analyse evidence on associations between maternal GDM and human milk composition across lactation, five electronic databases were searched for studies comparing human milk composition between mothers with and without GDM. Data were extracted for milk macronutrients, lipids, oligosaccharides, hormones and metabolic regulatory factors, immune and inflammatory factors, micronutrients and antioxidants, and multiomics across colostrum, transitional, and mature milk. Meta-analyses were conducted where possible. Fifty-two studies with 3233 mothers were included. Macronutrient content, total fat, and fatty acids were found to be similar between GDM and non-GDM milk. However, lactose concentrations were lower in GDM colostrum. In addition, mothers with GDM who were not taking docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplements had lower DHA concentrations than mothers without GDM. Appetite- and metabolism-related peptides were lower in colostrum, whereas other regulatory peptides were higher. Mothers with GDM had lower colostrum concentrations of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), including 2′-fucosyllactose and 6′-sialyllactose, with partial normalisation in mature milk. Immune, metabolomic, and proteomic findings were heterogeneous but indicated stage-dependent remodelling. GDM is associated with selective, lactation-stage-specific alterations in the bioactive and functional components of human milk rather than the disruption of core nutritional composition. The stage-specific nature of these alterations suggests that human milk composition may adapt to maternal physiological changes during lactation.

Different types of bariatric surgeries, such as malabsorptive and restrictive procedures, can impact nutrient absorption and metabolism. One of the concerns for reproductive-aged women and pregnancy-capable individuals undergoing bariatric surgery is the increased risk of nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This review aimed to collate and synthesise available literature on nutritional status during pregnancy and breastfeeding post-bariatric surgery. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews framework was used. It included peer-reviewed primary research studies published in English that reported the nutritional status of women with histories of bariatric surgery during pregnancy and breastfeeding. There were no time restrictions for including studies. A narrative synthesis was performed to summarise and interpret the findings. Anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies were frequently reported during pregnancy after bariatric surgery. Malabsorptive procedures were associated with greater micronutrient deficiencies during pregnancy, while the surgery-to-conception interval showed no consistent association. Macronutrient intake during pregnancy was characterised by high fat intake, low carbohydrate and fibre intake, and adequate protein intake. There was limited evidence of altered breast milk macronutrient composition following bariatric surgery. Limited qualitative studies showed that women wanted more nutritional information and support during pregnancy and breastfeeding following bariatric surgery. These findings highlight the need for individualised nutritional care, regular biochemical monitoring, and multidisciplinary management for women and pregnancy-capable individuals during pregnancy and breastfeeding following bariatric surgery, particularly after malabsorptive procedures. Further research is required to address gaps in evidence regarding mothers’ experiences and breast milk composition after bariatric surgery.

Using the work of contemporary female theologians, this article stretches St. Symeon’s metaphor of spiritual pregnancy to encompass a deeper understanding of the maternal body’s physicality. Though Symeon’s concept of graduated spirituality emphasises the immateriality of the afterlife, his theology is replete with imagery dependent on materiality and the senses. One of Symeon’s commonly used images is that of pregnancy, employed throughout both his discourses and hymns. While Symeon’s recognition of Mary as a model for monastics is laudable, his metaphor falls short of the physicality typically found in his other bodily images due to his particular understanding of Mary. Interjecting the voices of female theologians – including Natalie Carnes, Amy Peeler and Carrie Frost – into Symeon’s metaphor both enriches and challenges his concept of spiritual pregnancy. Finally, this essay proposes a more embodied theology of pregnancy using St. Symeon’s writings on apophaticism and incarnation.

Improving modifiable health behaviours during pregnancy may benefit parental health and offspring outcomes. Although pregnancy may motivate lifestyle change in both mothers and partners, evidence on partner health behaviour change and within-couple alignment remains limited. Antenatal data from the Growing Up in New Zealand cohort were used to describe health behaviour changes among mothers (n = 6822) and partners (n = 4401), and to examine associations between selected dietary changes within mother–partner dyads (n = 1195). Measures included changes in physical activity, alcohol use, smoking, and diet [avoidance of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and fast foods, and the addition of fruits and vegetables]. Associations were examined using multivariate Poisson regression models with robust variance. Most mothers (73.7%) remained consistently active or inactive during pregnancy, while 43.4% of partners reported changes in activity. Around 43% of both mothers and partners reduced or stopped alcohol use. Nearly half of smoking mothers quit, and two-thirds of smoking partners reduced or quit smoking. For diet, 22.9% and 30.7% of mothers avoided SSBs and fast foods, respectively, and 15.8% added fruits and/or vegetables; respective figures for partners were 13.2%, 9.9%, and 19.2%. Significant dyadic associations were observed for avoiding SSBs (Prevalence ratio [PR]: 1.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04–1.79) and for adding fruits and/or vegetables to diets (PR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.59–2.65). These findings indicate that pregnancy may represent a shared context for health behaviour change within households and highlight the potential value of partner-inclusive antenatal approaches.

Maternal obesity, resulting from high caloric intake during pregnancy, can impair pancreatic development in the offspring and lead to an increased risk of diabetes. We hypothesized that maternal obesity during pregnancy results in reduced expression of proteins associated with pancreatic β cell function and increased expression of proteins associated with apoptosis. C57BL/6J (N = 6) female mice were fed either a control (CON; n = 3) or a high-fat (HFD; n = 3) diet for fourteen weeks prior to pregnancy, diets were continued throughout gestation and lactation. Offspring were weaned at four weeks and then maintained on a control diet. At eight weeks of age, the offspring were euthanized (N = 20; 4–6/treatment/sex) and pancreas tissue samples were collected. Protein was isolated and analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 2,329 proteins were identified across both male and female mice in the comparison between the control and HFD groups, with 165 differentially expressed (DE) proteins (CON vs HFD males: 145; CON vs HFD females: 20; P ≤ 0.05). In male offspring, 131 DE proteins were down regulated, and 14 were upregulated, while in females 13 were upregulated and seven were down regulated. Four DE proteins (Mgat2, Lama2, Isyna1, Got2) were common to both sexes. However, only Lama2 exhibited a similar pattern of expression, with both HFD males and females having greater expression than CON. Alternatively, HFD males exhibited reduced expression of Mgat2, Got2, and Isyna1 when compared with CON. HFD females exhibited increased gene expression for the DEPs.

The aim was to investigate the association between maternal diet quality in early pregnancy and infant anthropometric outcomes at birth and at six months of age among Brazilian women with overweight. Secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial included 238 pregnant women and 192 mother–infant pairs with data at birth and six months, respectively. 24-h dietary recalls were obtained between 3 and 15 gestational weeks. Diet quality was evaluated using the Diet Quality Index Adapted for Pregnant Women (IQDaG). Linear regression models adjusted for potential confounding factors, including treatment group (control/intervention) were used to investigate the associations. Higher maternal diet quality (IQDaG score) was positively associated with birth weight (β = 12.311; 95% CI: 5.163, 19.458; p = 0.001), birth weight Z-score (β = 0.024; 95% CI: 0.007, 0.041; p = 0.007), birth length (β = 0.050; 95% CI: 0.015, 0.084; p = 0.005), birth length Z-score (β = 0.030; 95% CI: 0.008, 0.052; p = 0.008), and ponderal index (β = 0.044; 95% CI: 0.010, 0.078; p = 0.011), and inversely associated with small for gestational age (β = −0.006; 95% CI: −0.009, −0.002; p = 0.002) and low birth weight (β = −0.007; 95% CI: −0.010, −0.003; p < 0.001). No significant associations were observed with others neonatal indicators. At six months of age, IQDaG score was positively associated with infant length (β = 0.061; 95% CI: 0.019, 0.103; p = 0.004) and length-for-age Z-score (β = 0.204; 95% CI: 0.007, 0.401; p = 0.006), but not with weight-related indicators. These findings suggest that better maternal diet quality in early pregnancy is associated with more favorable fetal growth and may be particularly related to linear growth during infancy.

The impact of maternal physical activity on infant body composition remains understudied. This study aimed to investigate the association between maternal activity levels during pregnancy and infant body fat percentage, utilising data from the Western Australian ORIGINS birth cohort. A total of 323 pregnant women and their male (148) and female (175) infants born during 2016–2024 were included in the analysis. Maternal physical activity was measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise (Godin) questionnaire during the second trimester. Infant body composition was measured within 7 d of birth using infant air displacement plethysmography (PEA POD). Associations were calculated using linear regression models adjusted for confounders. A significant difference in neonatal body fat percentage was observed between sexes, with males averaging 11.7% and females 13.0% (p = 0.005). Analyses of maternal physical activity during the second trimester demonstrated sex-specific effects on infant body fat percentage. High maternal activity levels were associated with lower body fat percentage for female infants (IPAQ: −3.23, 95% CI: −5.22, −1.23 and Godin: −1.73, 95% CI: −3.26, −0.22), while for males, no association was observed. These results suggest that tailored prenatal care strategies that promote exercise and a healthy diet would be beneficial to pregnant women. Further research is needed to explore additional factors that could influence infant body fat percentage, which in turn could enhance prenatal care recommendations.

Maternal nutrition during pregnancy remains an important public health concern globally, including in Nigeria, with implications for both maternal and neonatal outcomes. This study explored stakeholders’ perceptions of pregnant women’s dietary practices and related factors in Ibadan, Nigeria. A qualitative design was adopted, and data collection was conducted between March and May 2024 in urban and peri-urban communities in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Using semi-structured key informant interviews, twelve purposively selected stakeholders were interviewed, comprising frontline health workers, policymakers, informal maternal care providers (traditional birth attendants), and community leaders. Data analysis was conducted using a hybrid thematic approach supported by NVivo 12. Stakeholders reported mostly carbohydrate-dominated diets and increasing consumption of processed foods, with limited intake of proteins and vegetables, despite recommendations from health workers. Stakeholders identified a complex interplay of factors influencing the whole spectrum of dietary practices, including personal factors (e.g. age, education, income) and interpersonal influences from significant others. Other notable key drivers were community-related factors, including cultural norms and religious beliefs, as well as institutional factors such as limited access to formal antenatal care and weak policy support. These findings underscore the need for context-specific interventions, including economic empowerment, culturally sensitive nutritional education, support systems, and policies to strengthen antenatal care nutrition services, access to dietary guidelines, and engagement with informal stakeholders.

In Japan, a version of the Japanese Food Guide, specifically developed for pregnancy and lactation (JFGST-P/L), promotes healthy dietary habits. In the mid- to-late stages of pregnancy, it is especially important to consume the recommended additional calories and nutrients. Adherence to these guidelines also plays a key role in achieving appropriate gestational weight gain (GWG). This study investigated the relationship between adherence to these guidelines and GWG among women in the mid- to late stages of pregnancy. Data were obtained from the Maternal and Child Cohort Study, conducted at the National Center for Child Health and Development (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan). The degree of adherence to the JFGST-P/L was evaluated using scores calculated from responses to a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The participants were classified into quartiles (Q1–Q4) based on their adherence scores. GWG was classified as inadequate, adequate, or excessive according to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare guidelines. The degree of JFGST-P/L adherence was divided into quartiles, and a multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed. Furthermore, the Q1 group was compared with the Q2–Q4 groups to examine the association with the risk of insufficient GWG. In the quartile analysis, no clear dose–response relationship was observed between JFGST-P/L adherence and GWG. Conversely, among Q1, an increased risk of insufficient GWG was noted compared to the Q2–Q4 group (Unadjusted OR 1.389, 95%CI 1.008–1.913). In this study, the lowest degree of adherence to the JFGST-P/L among pregnant women was associated with inadequate GWG.

Do women candidate’s parental status, whether childfree, pregnant, or a mother, influence how U.S. voters evaluate their leadership, commitment, and policy expertise at the state executive and legislative levels? Using data from a nationally representative survey experiment, I assess how voters rate these candidates’ competencies. Regardless of partisanship, I find voters reduce support for pregnant candidates, particularly at the executive level, due to concerns about time availability. I also discover a parenthood timing gap effect — while pregnancy is perceived as a limitation to do the job as an elected official, having young children as a mother enhances leadership evaluations, at least among Democrats. A partisan divide emerges, with Democrats rating maternal-cuing candidates higher on leadership competencies compared to Republicans. This research has important implications for how candidates need to strategize their presentation as we see more women and (expecting) mothers run for all types of office.

The maternal diet is believed to influence child neurodevelopment, at least in part, through inflammation, as dietary components can have pro- or anti-inflammatory effects. We examined the association between the energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII) during pregnancy and offspring symptoms of behavioural and emotional problems at 5·5 and 10 years, using data from the French nationwide Etude Longitudinale Française depuis l’Enfance/French Longitudinal Study since Childhood (ELFE) birth cohort. Dietary intake during pregnancy was assessed using a validated FFQ, and an E-DII score was generated. Child behavioural and emotional symptoms, including hyperactivity-inattention, conduct, peer-relationship and emotional problems, were evaluated by parents using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at 5·5 (n 9627) and 10 years (n 8362) for hyperactivity-inattention, conduct, peer-relationship and emotional problems. Children were classified into three categories based on thresholds used to identify clinically relevant symptoms: ‘Normal’, ‘Borderline’ and ‘Atypical’. Multinomial logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders was used to estimate OR and 95 % CI. An increasing maternal E-DII score during pregnancy was associated with higher odds of offspring classified with atypical hyperactivity-inattention and conduct problem scores at 5·5 and 10 years, atypical peer-relationship problem scores at 10 years and atypical emotional problem scores at 10 years (differentially by sex). A more pro-inflammatory diet during pregnancy was consistently associated with higher odds of symptoms of externalising problems throughout childhood and with internalising problems at 10 years. Future research should explore the mechanisms by which prenatal exposure to maternal diet-induced inflammation may contribute to these outcomes.