Dietary and environmental exposures in pregnancy

There is increasing recognition of the importance of both nutrition and environmental exposures in pregnancy as prenatal events are increasingly thought to have a significant impact on the emergence of later disease, as well as on many crucial aspects of child development. This chapter provides an overview of the evidence for the importance of nutrition and environmental exposures both preconceptually and in pregnancy on the long-term health and development of the child, and provides some recommendations for action points by health professionals.