Pregnant women who have limited access to affordable, nutritious and healthy foods have a higher chance of developing both physical and mental health problems, according to new research.
New research led by Newcastle University and involving King's College London has found that women who are what is termed "food insecure" are up to four times more likely to have poor mental health - such as stress, anxiety and depression - than those who don't struggle to afford or access food.
The mums-to-be are also at increased risk of obesity, developing diabetes during their pregnancy and dental problems, the two studies published in PLOS Medicine and Obesity Reviews show.
In recent years, food insecurity has more than doubled in the UK and it is estimated that more than one in four households with babies and young children under four-years-old are affected.
Our reviews add new evidence that food insecurity contributes to inequalities in pregnancy risks for women and babies, putting women's health at risk, and babies at a health disadvantage from before they are born. That is unfair. That is unjust. There is an urgent need for more support to mitigate against these health risks during pregnancy.
Dr Zoë Bell, Research Associate at King's College London and joint-first author of both review studies
More support needed
When people are food insecure, they can experience worry about accessing enough food through to skipping meals or not eating all day. Families can also experience financial problems that impact on bills, rent and heating costs which further squeezes the household budget available for food.
Before Covid, fewer than one in 10 households in the UK were experiencing food insecurity, now it is estimated that a quarter of households with babies and young children are food insecure, and almost half of all households with three or more children.
Researchers analysed data from high-income countries since the global financial crisis in 2008 to explore links between food insecurity and pregnancy health for mum and birth outcomes for baby.
In these two studies, which also involved researchers from Teesside University, the experts collated the data to look for patterns and where there may be increased risk.
Professor Nicola Heslehurst from Newcastle University, who led the research, said: "We know how important it is for pregnant women to eat a nutritious and well-balanced diet for their own health and that of their developing baby."
"But when pregnant women experience food insecurity, it affects the quality of their diet because they can't afford increasingly expensive items such as fruit and vegetables, therefore, have to rely on cheaper poor nutritional quality foods."
"While we were expecting to see some health risks during pregnancy, the extent of those we found were quite shocking, especially for mental health, obesity, and pregnancy diabetes."
"These also have long-term implications, such as mums and their children being more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life."
"We need much more financial support from the Government to make sure that women and babies are protected from food insecurity during pregnancy."
Most of the studies included in the reviews were from the USA, so further research is needed to assess the effects of food insecurity during pregnancy in the UK.
"If we look at more data from the UK, where there is a lack of support available and rapidly rising rates of food insecurity, we might find the risks are worse than we currently think, and the need for support even greater," Professor Heslehurst added.
The research is a Fuse, The Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, project.
More information
Associations between food insecurity in high-income countries and pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Zoe Bell et al. PLOS Medicine. DOI
Food insecurity during pregnancy in high-income countries, and maternal weight and diet: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Giang Nguyen et al. Obesity Reviews. DOI: 10.1111/obr.13753
