Reduced maternal calcium intake through nutrition and supplementation is associated with adverse conditions for both the women and their infants in a Chinese population

Effective nutritional guidelines for pregnant women in China are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary nutrition on the health condition of pregnant women and infants in China. In total, 331 pregnant women who had prenatal examinations were included in this study. Data, including dietary nutrition questionnaires, the weight, height, age, and health condition of the pregnant women as well as the health condition of the infants, were recorded. The average intake of milk, poultry and meat, fish and prawns, eggs, and bean products were 297.28 ± 129.67 mL/day, 123.34 ± 52.04 g/day, 157.31 ± 70.04 g/day, 67.34 ± 45.28 g/day, and 1.21 ± 0.62 per day, respectively. Among the 331 pregnant women, the intake rates of supplemental calcium and VD were 86.7% and 69.8%, respectively. The intake of milk, bean products, and meats was obviously lower (all P < .05) in the pregnant women with systremma compared to those without it. In addition, the body weight before and after delivery was higher (all P < .05) in the pregnant women with systremma. The calcium intake of the pregnant women and the infants’ BMD were remarkably lower in the infants with pillow baldness or a wider anterior fontanelle (P < .01) compared to those without the features. The intake of milk, poultry and meat, fish and prawns, eggs, and bean products by pregnant women should be monitored, and in particular, the proper intake of milk, bean products, and meats, as well as calcium supplements, might decrease the occurrence of systremma in pregnant women and reduce the rate pillow baldness and a wider anterior fontanelle in infants.