The health, growth and development of the foetus depend on the nutritional
status of the mother before conception and during pregnancy. Women who
are underweight or overweight at the time of conception are at a greater
risk of developing complications during pregnancy, labour and delivery and having premature and low birth weight infants. However, once pregnant, women should not try to lose weight but should have adequate nutrition throughout pregnancy as this is the time when the foetus requires extra nutritional requirements which can only be met by dietary intake and body stores.