The NICE guidance advises those who work with pregnant women and mothers on how to help them make decisions about their diet and lifestyle that will keep them healthy and give their babies the best start in life. NICE calls for national consistency in the quality and quantity of support available to help address disparities in the nutrition of mothers and young children from low-income and other disadvantaged groups compared with the general population.

The public health guidance is based on evidence showing how all those who work with families can support mothers in changing their own and their child’s eating habits, thus increasing their chances of a healthy life. It makes recommendations relevant from conception to five years of age.  Advice to health professionals includes; making people aware of the Healthy Start Scheme; providing practical and tailored advice on healthy eating through pregnancy and in the early years; advising on vitamin supplements and; setting up easily accessible breastfeeding peer support programmes

NICE and the National Collaborating Centre for Women’s and Children’s Health have issued guidance which provides clear and consistent advice to doctors and midwives on how to help women with diabetes manage their condition when they are preparing to conceive, after they have given birth and in the cycle towards their next pregnancy

The guideline recommends that women with pre-existing diabetes should access specialist services prior to conception and be given advice on the importance of planning their pregnancy. It also highlights the importance of providing information to women on staying healthy during pregnancy such as by maintaining proper glycaemic control and taking folic acid to help minimize the risks.

NICE and the National Collaborating Centre for Women’s and Children’s Health have issued updated advice on the care that should be offered to women during their pregnancy. It recommends that midwives and doctors provide women with evidence-based information about a range of key issues such as the risks and benefits of screening tests and lifestyle advice so they can make decisions that are right for them and their baby. This advice is an update of the original document published in 2003, revising areas where new information has become available.

The guideline includes recommendations for doctors and midwives on the advice they should give to pregnant women about drinking alcohol. These recommendations are consistent with the advice issued in 2007 by the UK Chief Medical Officers and include avoiding drinking alcohol in the first 3 months of pregnancy, drinking no more that 1 – 2 UK units once or twice a week and not getting drunk or binge drinking during pregnancy (drinking more than 7.5 UK units on a single occasion).

Other recommendations include informing women about the importance of Vitamin D during pregnancy and whilst breastfeeding, offering screening for sickle cell diseases and thalassaemias as early as possible, screening for gestational diabetes, and offering screening for Down’s syndrome within the recommended time frame.