Consequences of poor maternal micronutrition before and during early pregnancy

Abstract

In developing countries, micronutrient deficiencies are common and associated with poor pregnancy outcomes, which may in turn have longer-term effects on human health. The peri-conceptional period represents a particularly sensitive window of feto-placental development, during which suboptimal maternal micronutrition may have far-reaching consequences. The effects of targeted interventions during this period have been little studied in humans. © 2007 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.