Nutrition care by general practitioners: Enhancing women's health during and after pregnancy

The importance of healthy dietary behaviours during pregnancy and after birth is well recognised given the short-term and long-term effects on the health of mothers and infants. Pregnancy is an ideal time to implement health behaviour changes, as women are receptive to health messages at this time. The majority of pregnant women have regular, ongoing contact with general practitioners (GPs), particularly during early pregnancy.

This paper provides an overview of the latest evidence regarding the nutrition requirements of women during and after birth, and describes simple ways that GPs can incorporate brief, effective nutrition care into standard consultations.

Two approaches for enhancing the nutrition care provided by GPs are presented. These approaches are for GPs to feel confident in raising the topic of nutrition in standard consultations and being equipped with effective, evidence-based messages that can be incorporated into consultations. Collectively, these approaches promote healthy dietary behaviours for intergenerational benefits.