Abstract

The nutritional status of women prior to conception, during pregnancy and lactation has a major impact on her health and the fetus, mainly in fetal growth and development. Therefore, the best moment to deal with the mother?s health is the stage prior to conception in order to optimize the maternal and fetal health. Obesity carries potential health effects and illnesses across the course of life. The prepregnancy obesity and excessive gestational weight gain are strongly associated with increased fetal growth and weight, and have been implicated in the so-called vicious circle transgenerational obesity, affecting adult life of their progeny. In early stages of life humans have the ability to adapt to various environmental stimuli, which is a critical period. Epidemiological evidence supports the concept of adverse effects during association on early fetal development that induces a permanent response in both the fetus and the neonate, at the risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases in adulthood, a concept known as «fetal programming«. Therefore, it is vital that public health interventions aimed at controlling nutrient intake and promoting healthy habits are applied in the early life cycle in order to achieve adequate weight and growth of the fetus, resulting in increased life expectancy and quality in the human capital.