American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 59, 542S-545S, Copyright © 1994 by The American Society for Nutrition

Overview and analysis

¹ From the Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Discussions of maternal nutrition commonly have been limited to outcomes directly related to the products of gestation and lactation, eg, the infant's birthweight and general well-being and the quality and quantity of milk produced. However, critical reviews of maternal nutrition increasingly will consider the interrelationships among the physical, behavioral, and social consequences of reproductive events for women. The most distinguishing feature of this Symposium was that speakers frequently included outcomes more directly relevant to maternal health. Investigators are devoting increasing attention to understanding how biological, social, and behavioral development in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood affects reproductive and other functional capacities in later life stages and consecutive reproductive cycles. Individual presentations reviewed the status of our knowledge, illustrated the significant progress being made in our understanding of nutnitional needs for optimal maternal well-being, and provided future directions for research and health promotion and delivery.

Key Words: Maternal nutrition • iron deficiency • nutrient balance data • factorial approaches • dietary surveys • maternal/infant dyad