Maternal micronutrients, placental growth and fetal outcome

Pregnancy can be regarded as a three-compartment model, with the mother, placenta, and fetus interacting to ensure proper fetal growth and development. Maternal health, along with maternal diet, body composition, metabolism, and placental nutrient supply, is the main fac- tor that can negatively or positively influence fetal development. Before reaching the fetus, nutrients from maternal diet are used by the placenta for its own metabolism. The quality and quantity of nutrients that reach the fetus are indeed influenced by placental shape, size, and characteristics. Placental growth and develgpment are influenced by the maternal diet itself. This chapter aims to show how fetal and postnatal growth and development are strictly dependent on proper maternal nutritional intake before and during pregnancy and how over- supply, deficiency, or poor quality of nutrients may influence placental development and adversely affect pregnancy outcome and expression offetal genetic potential.