Study: Mom's Nutrition Affects Baby's Birth

WASHINGTON -- An animal study indicates premature birth may result if mothers don't eat well just before conception and in early pregnancy.

The study looked at about 40 sheep. Half were deprived of food for 60 days before they mated and for 30 days afterward. Their lambs were born early.

The study, conducted by a team of researchers from Canada, New Zealand and Australia, is published in Friday's issue of the journal Science.

They found that even modest restrictions in nutrition around the time of conception may lead in premature births. Even after the sheep's diets returned to normal after conception, the lambs were born prematurely.

However, the birth weight and size of the lambs in the study were considered normal.

"There could be down-the-road implications for what prospective moms should be eating if these findings are applicable to human pregnancy," said Frank Bloomfield, a neonatologist from the University of Auckland in Auckland, New Zealand, and the University of Toronto.

Bloomfield said preterm babies born after less than 30 weeks in the womb are at major risk for both cerebral palsy and learning difficulties. Their brains are not adequately developed and this puts them at risk for brain injury.

He said the study was prompted by a rising trend of premature births among women in the United States and elsewhere. He said sheep are commonly used to study pregnancy and fetal development.

"If you're intending to get pregnant, do not diet substantially before the start of pregnancy because it's not necessarily a good thing for your pregnancy and you may cause your baby to be born prematurely," said Dr. John Challis, professor of medicine and physiology at the University of Toronto.

An outside expert said the study is consistent with human research that indicates nutrition levels have a role in premature birth.