Abstract:
The period before and during pregnancy is increasingly recognized as an important
stage for addressing malnutrition. This can help to reduce the risk of noncommunicable
diseases in mothers and passage of risk to their infants. The FIGO Nutrition
Checklist is a tool designed to address these issues. The checklist contains questions
on specific dietary requirements, body mass index, diet quality, and micronutrients.
Through answering these questions, awareness is generated, potential risks are identified,
and information is collected that can inform health-promoting
conversations
between women and their healthcare professionals. The tool can be used across a
range of health settings, regions, and life stages. The aim of this review is to summarize
nutritional recommendations related to the FIGO Nutrition Checklist to support
healthcare providers using it in practice. Included is a selection of global dietary recommendations
for each of the components of the checklist and practical insights from
countries that have used it. Implementation of the FIGO Nutrition Checklist will help
identify potential nutritional deficiencies in women so that they can be addressed by
healthcare providers. This has potential longstanding benefits for mothers and their
children, across generations.
