First-Second-Trimester Dietary Inflammatory Index and Anemia Risk in the Third Trimester: A Prospective Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Nutritional Science
• Maternal Health

Background:

• Dietary habits significantly influence maternal health outcomes.
• Anemia during pregnancy, particularly in the third trimester, poses risks to both mother and fetus.
• Understanding the impact of diet on pregnancy-related conditions is crucial for effective prenatal care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the causal relationship between the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) during the first and second trimesters and the development of third-trimester anemia.
• To assess the association between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory dietary patterns and anemia risk in pregnant women.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study involving 545 pregnant women.
• Dietary intake assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ).
• Third-trimester anemia diagnosed based on hemoglobin levels, with analysis using multivariable logistic regression adjusted for numerous confounding factors.

Main Results:

• Women with a pro-inflammatory diet in the first-second trimesters had a 3.73-fold increased risk of developing third-trimester anemia compared to those with an anti-inflammatory diet.
• The association remained significant after adjusting for multiple potential confounders, including BMI, age, and iron supplementation.

Conclusions:

• Pro-inflammatory dietary patterns during early pregnancy are significantly associated with an increased risk of third-trimester anemia.
• Prenatal nutrition interventions aimed at reducing dietary pro-inflammatory components could be effective in lowering the risk of anemia.
• Potential biases include self-reporting of dietary data and unmeasured confounding factors.