Prenatal Nutrition Care in Alberta: The Perspectives of Pregnant Women and Registered Dietitians.

Introduction: Optimizing women's diets in pregnancy improves maternal and child health outcomes; however, the best format for supporting women's nutrition goals in pregnancy is not clear, and access to dietetic services is not standard in prenatal care in Alberta. This study explored women's perceptions about access to Registered Dietitians (RDs) throughout pregnancy and RDs experiences providing prenatal nutrition counselling.Methods: Two studies were conducted. Study A: Pregnant women completed a short survey while attending a prenatal appointment in a large prenatal clinic. The survey assessed women's perspectives about accessing dietetic services during pregnancy. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Study B: RDs participated in either a semi-structured phone interview or a focus group and described their experiences working with pregnant women. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: One hundred pregnant women completed the survey. Ninety percent indicated that they had not seen a RD at this time in pregnancy, and 48% reported that they would like to access a RD in pregnancy, if available. Dietitians discussed the diversity of women's concerns and the challenges to providing prenatal nutrition support.Conclusions: Women have nutrition-related questions during pregnancy. Dietitians experience challenges providing services in the current care systems.

Medical, behavioural and social preconception and interconception risk factors among pregnancy planning and recently pregnant Canadian women.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to describe the clustering of medical, behavioural and social preconception and interconception health risk factors and determine demographic factors associated with these risk clusters among Canadian women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional data were collected via an online questionnaire assessing a range of preconception risk factors. Prevalence of each risk factor and the total number of risk factors present was calculated. Multivariable logistic regression models determined which demographic factors were associated with having greater than the mean number of risk factors. Exploratory factor analysis determined how risk factors clustered, and Spearman's r determined how demographic characteristics related to risk factors within each cluster. SETTING: Canada. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were recruited via advertisements on public health websites, social media, parenting webpages and referrals from ongoing studies or existing research datasets. Women were eligible to participate if they could read and understand English, were able to access a telephone or the internet, and were either planning a first pregnancy (preconception) or had ≥1 child in the past 5 years and were thus in the interconception period. RESULTS: Most women (n=1080) were 34 or older, and were in the interconception period (98%). Most reported risks in only one of the 12 possible risk factor categories (55%), but women reported on average 4 risks each. Common risks were a history of caesarean section (33.1%), miscarriage (27.2%) and high birth weight (13.5%). Just over 40% had fair or poor eating habits, and nearly half were not getting enough physical activity. Three-quarters had a body mass index indicating overweight or obesity. Those without a postsecondary degree (OR 2.35; 95% CI 1.74 to 3.17) and single women (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.25 to 3.96) had over twice the odds of having more risk factors. Those with two children or more had 60% lower odds of having more risk factors (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.86). Low education and being born outside Canada were correlated with the greatest number of risk clusters. CONCLUSIONS: Many of the common risk factors were behavioural and thus preventable. Understanding which groups of women are prone to certain risk behaviours provides opportunities for researchers and policy-makers to target interventions more efficiently and effectively.

An exploration of differences in infant feeding practices among women with and without diabetes in pregnancy: A mixed-methods study.

AIMS: (1) To determine the likelihood of full breastfeeding at 3 months postpartum in women with and without diabetes in pregnancy (DiP); (2) to explore the associations between diabetes management practices and infant feeding practices in those who had DiP and (3) to examine women's experiences of feeding their infants after having DiP. METHODS: The quantitative study used data from Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) cohort study. Participants who had DiP (n = 62) were matched 1:3 to participants without DiP for pre-pregnancy BMI, parity, mode of delivery and pre-term birth. Infant feeding questionnaires, prospective breastfeeding diaries and medical chart data were analysed to determine likelihood of fully breastfeeding at 3 months postpartum. For the qualitative study, interviews were conducted with postpartum women who had DiP to explore the experiences of infant feeding. Interviews were thematically analysed, and the results were compared between women who were categorized as 'full breast feeders' or 'mixed feeders'. RESULTS: The odds of fully breastfeeding were 50% lower in women with DiP than women without DiP (OR: 0.50, 95% CI 0.25-0.99, p = 0.04). Qualitative interviews identified that although all women showed resilience in the face of infant feeding challenges, those who were fully breastfeeding reported seeking out external infant feeding supports, for example, classes or Doula's. Mixed Feeders perceived there was a lack of infant feeding information and support given to them prior to giving birth. CONCLUSION: Women with DiP may require additional prenatal and postnatal infant feeding support to be better prepared to overcome feeding challenges they may face.

Protocol for a randomised trial evaluating a preconception-early childhood telephone-based intervention with tailored e-health resources for women and their partners to optimise growth and development among children in Canada: a Healthy Life Trajectory Initiative (HeLTI Canada).

INTRODUCTION: The 'Developmental Origins of Health and Disease' hypothesis suggests that a healthy trajectory of growth and development in pregnancy and early childhood is necessary for optimal health, development and lifetime well-being. The purpose of this paper is to present the protocol for a randomised controlled trial evaluating a preconception-early childhood telephone-based intervention with tailored e-health resources for women and their partners to optimise growth and development among children in Canada: a Healthy Life Trajectory Initiative (HeLTI Canada). The primary objective of HeLTI Canada is to determine whether a 4-phase 'preconception to early childhood' lifecourse intervention can reduce the rate of child overweight and obesity. Secondary objectives include improved child: (1) growth trajectories; (2) cardiometabolic risk factors; (3) health behaviours, including nutrition, physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep; and (4) development and school readiness at age 5 years. METHOD AND ANALYSIS: A randomised controlled multicentre trial will be conducted in two of Canada's highly populous provinces-Alberta and Ontario-with 786 nulliparous (15%) and 4444 primiparous (85%) women, their partners and, when possible, the first 'sibling child.' The intervention is telephone-based collaborative care delivered by experienced public health nurses trained in healthy conversation skills that includes detailed risk assessments, individualised structured management plans, scheduled follow-up calls, and access to a web-based app with individualised, evidence-based resources. An 'index child' conceived after randomisation will be followed until age 5 years and assessed for the primary and secondary outcomes. Pregnancy, infancy (age 2 years) and parental outcomes across time will also be assessed. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has received approval from Clinical Trials Ontario (CTO 1776). The findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and disseminated to policymakers at local, national and international agencies. Findings will also be shared with study participants and their communities. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN13308752; Pre-results.