Our new Amsterdam Reproduction and Development professor Rebecca Painter emphasizes the need for a healthier lifestyle for all pregnant women in her inaugural lecture on Friday 2 December. What you eat when you are pregnant is very important. Both malnutrition and overeating have consequences for the outcome of the pregnancy, and also affect the health of mother and child later in life.

Much can be gained if pregnant women pay extra attention to their lifestyle. A healthier diet and more exercise can reduce the number of women with gestational diabetes by a quarter. Lifestyle adjustments by pregnant women can also reduce the number of premature births and children in the Neonatology Department. Lifestyle measures need not only have to be aimed at pregnant women. Think of the introduction of a sugar tax, which could contribute to a decrease in pregnancy complications.

Malnourished due to hyperemesis gravidarum

Painter paid special attention to the care of women who experience vomiting during pregnancy to the point of malnutrition. These women have 'hyperemesis gravidarum'. Painter has shown in previous research that this condition has a lasting effects on the health of both mother and child. These pregnant women do not always receive the medication and care they need to combat severe malnutrition. This can be improved by making the diagnosis according to the international definition, which was established a year ago. The (major) effects of untreated hyperemesis are a good reason for less restraints in prescribing medication.