What should pregnancy nutrition entail?

Good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy are essential for the health of a woman and her baby. Pregnant women have unique nutritional needs, especially in terms of certain micronutrients, which are increased by up to 80%. Malnutrition - including micronutrient insufficiencies - is, however, quite common in pregnant women. Various clinical studies show beneficial effects of micronutrient supplementation during pregnancy on maternal and infant health, in particular in preventing preterm birth, neural tube defects, or impaired cognitive development.  New evidence suggests beneficial effects of taking certain probiotics during pregnancy. In addition, maternal myo-inositol supplementation may reduce the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus.