Sustainable eating in pregnancy may lead to higher intakes of key nutrients, study finds
1 April 2026
Credit: Anna Pelzer/Unsplash
Women who eat more sustainably while pregnant may have higher intakes of several key pregnancy-related nutrients, new UCD research has suggested.
Conducted by the UCD Perinatal Research Centre, the study looked at the outcomes for women who followed the Planetary Health Diet while pregnant.
The Planetary Health Diet is a way of eating designed to be both healthy for humans and sustainable for the planet.
It was proposed in 2019 by the EAT-Lancet Commission, a group of scientists studying nutrition, agriculture and environmental impact. The diet emphasises plant-based foods, with reduced intake of animal-based food products such as red and processed meats.
The study included 678 pregnant women who attended The National Maternity Hospital in Dublin for their antenatal care.
Women completed dietary assessments in the first trimester of pregnancy, and this data was used to calculate Planetary Health Diet Index scores.
The data showed that women with higher adherence to the Planetary Health Diet in early pregnancy had daily higher intakes of key nutrients including dietary folate, iron, calcium and fibre.
“The findings showed that adhering to the Planetary Health Diet in pregnancy results in better intakes of many important nutrients in pregnancy and, at the same time, supports environmental sustainability,” explained the study’s senior author, (opens in a new window)Professor Fionnuala McAuliffe from the UCD School of Medicine.
(opens in a new window)Published in the British Journal of Nutrition, the study is among the first to investigate the Planetary Health Diet in pregnancy.
The researchers noted that due to the environmental impact of food production, there is an urgent need to rethink how and what we eat, and wanted to explore whether sustainable dietary patterns are feasible in pregnancy.
They concluded that although intakes were higher in the Planetary Health Diet Index scores for many nutrients, it is still advised that additional supplements of folate, vitamin D and iodine are taken during pregnancy to meet the extra nutritional needs.
The UCD Perinatal Research Centre, based at the National Maternity Hospital, is a leading, multidisciplinary research unit focused on improving the health of mothers and babies.
Launched in 2018 by Professor McAuliffe, it is internationally recognised for its research in maternal and fetal health, diabetes and nutrition in pregnancy.
By: Rebecca Hastings, Digital Journalist, UCD University Relations
To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie
