Eating less during early pregnancy can inhibit child's brain development, study says

By Staff Writer

Pregnant women who go on a diet early in their pregnancy may increase the risk of their child encountering developmental or behavioral problems, a new study reveals.

According to researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, mothers who eat less during the first half of pregnancy are preventing the fetus from acquiring key nutrients that are critical for brain development. The study, which appears in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, concludes that these nutrient deficiencies can cause a variety of problems for the child, such as a lower IQ, autism, depression and schizophrenia.

The team of researchers compared two groups of baboon mothers. One group ate as much as they wanted during the first half of pregnancy, while the other group was fed 30 percent less.

The team discovered irregularities in hundreds of genes in the fetuses of the diet group. The study's author, Thomas McDonald, said that the study is the first to demonstrate the vulnerability of the fetus when nutrient intake is reduced.

This report shows that mothers who try to manage their weight during pregnancy by going on a diet may be negatively impacting their child's brain development and potentially contributing to disorders such as autism.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that an average of one in 110 children in the U.S. have an Autism Spectrum Disorder.