Nutrition during pregnancy and lactation.

Because appropriate maternal nutrition improves pregnancy outcome, improving maternal nutrition before, during, and after pregnancy is an excellent example of primary prevention. Providing assessment and intervention to encourage an optimal state of health will also benefit the many women who do not desire pregnancy. For these women, the provision of nutritional care as part of a periodic health assessment can serve not only as a way to enhance health status in preparation for a future pregnancy, but also as a mechanism for encouraging nutritional behaviors to improve health throughout life.