[Analytic evaluation of a "Mediterranean" diet in pregnancy]

To evaluate the effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet in pregnancy in relation to the increased maternal nutritional needs and to fetal outcome.

We studied dietary habits of 100 pregnant women with gestational ages between 13 and 38 weeks. Each woman has been provided with a questionnaire to explore types and amount of food taken daily, for 7 consecutive days. The data have been analyzed evaluating, for each dietary component, the caloric, proteic, glucidic, lipidic and microelement share. The results obtained have been compared with the "recommended levels of daily intake of calories and nutrients for the Italian population" (LARN), and with the American "Recommended Daily Dietary Allowances" (RDA).

The Mediterranean diet proved able to completely satisfy pregnancy's increased biological needs except for iron. In fact the daily mean iron intake of the examined population was about 13 mg/day, while the recommended intake is about 36 mg/day. The dietary caloric intake was represented by proteins (16%), glucides (47.5%) and lipids (36.5%), with bread and cereals giving the higher energetic share (38%) in the examined diets. The mean caloric intake resulted lower than the one recommended by LARN and RDA, however neonatal birth weights were always within the normal range.