Prenatal Nutrition
Health Canada publishes prenatal guidelines on nutrition and healthy eating during pregnancy and throughout the childbearing years.
Projects
Revision of the national nutrition pregnancy guidelines
Health Canada is in the process of revising selected prenatal nutrition guidelines in the 1999 publication Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy: National Guidelines for the Childbearing Years.
To assist with the revision, Health Canada has appointed eight people to the Expert Advisory Group on National Nutrition Pregnancy Guidelines. The backgrounds of these individuals are diverse in experience and expertise - public health, academia, primary care, community health, and outreach. As members of the expert group, they will provide advice and informed feedback to Health Canada throughout the revision process. Details about the mandate of the group are available in the Terms of reference. A membership list is also available.
Revising the recommendations on nutrients of special concern is the priority for this year. The following timetable provides an overview of the revision process.
| Timelines |
Goals and activities |
| September 2007 |
Establish the Expert Advisory Group on National Nutrition Pregnancy Guidelines. |
| Fall - Winter 2007-08 |
Prepare draft recommendations on nutrients of special concern. |
| Early 2008 |
Conduct a web-based stakeholder consultation on the draft recommendations. |
| Summer 2008 |
Publish the recommendations on nutrients of special concern. |
A long term plan will be developed for revising other prenatal guidelines, keeping in mind that the full document, Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy, will no longer be published.
Resources
Nutrition
for a Healthy Pregnancy - National Guidelines for the Childbearing Years
These prenatal nutrition guidelines discuss nutrition and healthy eating both
during pregnancy and throughout the childbearing years. Developed with the
support of an expert advisory committee, the guidelines are based whenever
possible on available scientific evidence. Practical advice, tips and
suggestions are included.
It's Your Health: Folic Acid and Birth Defects
All women who could become pregnant should be taking folic acid to prevent
neural tube defects. In 2002, Health Canada launched an awareness campaign on
the importance of folic acid among women of child-bearing age.
 Website on Folic acid
This site provides information, resources and links to other web sites for concerned women and health professionals.
Preconception Health: Folic Acid for the Primary Prevention of Neural Tube Defects. A Resource Document for Health Professionals, 2002
Health professionals may be interested in the detailed background paper on this issue.
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