Women who are pregnant benefit from a higher-fat diet. Eating small, frequent, meals rich in proteins and healthy fats throughout the day, as well as avoiding carbohydrates, can help stabilize blood sugar and prevent morning sickness. The underconsumption of heart-healthy fats and dietary cholesterol may also be to blame for morning sickness. Fats are necessary for healthy hormone production and dietary cholesterol is required for the body to produce sufficient pregnancy-supporting hormones, as well as the production of bile, which helps digest fats. During pregnancy, the fat will first be used for important sex hormones, such as progesterone and estrogen, which are crucial for a healthy pregnancy. If the fat is not broken down by bile, it may lead to nausea. Studies have shown that cholesterol is such an important part of the diet that women whose levels are too low have an increased risk of having babies with developmental problems.

Women with PCOS who get pregnant have much higher rates of complications during pregnancy including gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy), and bigger babies over 4.5kgs (which are a risk for Caesarean deliveries and an independent risk for future diabetes).

A poor diet during pregnancy can lead to health concerns, digestive issues, fatigue, heartburn, swelling, and leg cramps. Many studies show that nutrient deficiencies during pregnancy can lead to some major health issues like anaemia, an iron deficiency that causes low levels of red blood cells, and high blood pressure that can lead to pregnancy complications.

Research published in The Journal of Perinatal Education indicates that inadequate levels of maternal nutrients during a mother’s first trimester of pregnancy, when the embryo and placenta undergo a process of rapid cell differentiation and division, may predispose the infant to chronic illnesses in adulthood, such as diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and coronary heart disease.