• Only a quarter (27%) of current or aspiring Mums are consuming specific nutrition important to a healthy pregnancy.
• Main barriers include: following an exclusionary diet such as intermittent fasting (23%), keto (13%) and dairy-free (19%), not understanding what to eat to obtain the nutrients needed for pregnancy (44%) and being more concerned with what not to eat (31%). This is in spite of nutritional demands increasing by up to 50% in pregnancy[1] .
• Elevit releases ‘The Pre-conception & First 1000 Days Nutrition Pack’ serving up recipes, a nutrition table and a meal planner to make pregnancy nutrition easier to access for mums and mums-to-be. 

Sydney, Australia, 2023 – New research reveals today that only a quarter (27%) of current or aspiring Mums are consuming specific nutrition important to a healthy pregnancy. Almost half of all women (44%) actively trying to conceive (TTC) also said they don’t understand what to eat to access the nutrients they need for a healthy pregnancy.  

The Pregnancy Nutrition Survey commissioned by Elevit explores the knowledge of, and approach to nutritional needs during pre-conception and pregnancy of 1000+ Australian women aged 18-54. It found that a third of women surveyed (31%) are more conscious about what to avoid eating (e.g. soft cheeses, cured meats), or are adhering to diets (such as intermittent fasting, keto and dairy-free) that potentially starve the body of key nutrients such as calcium, folate, potassium and magnesium. This is in spite of the fact that pregnancy increases the nutritional demands on their bodies by 50%1.

Survey results also show that 47% of women surveyed are not taking specific nutrition for pregnancy, as they believe their general nutrition will be sufficient. 

According to Paediatric Nutritionist Mandy Sacher, “There are a range of micronutrients needed for critical developments of the fetus during those early weeks following conception – often before you’ve noticed the signs of pregnancy. Nutrition is so important from the first moment that you consider trying to conceive”. 

Unfortunately, many Aussie women are unaware of how little micronutrients they may be getting from their modern diets. Moreover, the survey highlighted that 1-in-4 women surveyed did not understand the role of a pregnancy-specific multivitamin in helping to plug nutritional gaps. To help Australian mothers and babies have the best first 1000 days* and to make it easier for people to understand and access pregnancy nutrition, Elevit, in collaboration with Mandy Sacher, is serving up a range of specially-formulated resources – The Pre-conception & First 1000 Days Nutrition Pack, available for download from the Elevit website.

•    NUTRITION TABLE FOR PRE-CONCEPTION & THE FIRST 1000 DAYS: The nutrition table outlines the food you can eat to access essential vitamins and minerals for pregnancy, such as folic acid, iron and iodine. The table also includes the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of each micronutrient, and outlines how much of each nutrient is contained per serve to help you navigate what you should eat during this time. For example, a RDI of Iron (27mg), Folic Acid (600mcg) and Iodine (220mcg) as well as a range of other micronutrients is important for both mum and baby from pre-conception to the age of two[1] .

•    RECIPES FOR PRE-CONCEPTION & THE FIRST 1000 DAYS: Mandy Sacher has developed a range of delicious recipes including miso salmon and dark chocolate bliss balls which contain the important nutrients to support Mums-to-be during pre-conception and baby’s healthy development during The First 1000 Days. The pack also includes suggestions of foods that can be swapped out to suit individual dietary preferences and offer variety. 

•    MEAL PLANNER FOR PRE-CONCEPTION & THE FIRST 1000 DAYS: The meal planner template was developed with optimal nutrition in mind, providing a tool to help plan and track a balanced weekly diet that supports the nutrient requirements of both mother and baby. 

Key Pregnancy Nutrition Survey findings that point to a gap in understanding of nutritional needs, include:

•    Eating in the age of diets: 

• 23% of Mums and Mums-to-be are currently intermittent fasting pointing to a potential need for additional nutritional support.
• A further 13% are following a Keto diet, 13% are Gluten Free and 19% are Dairy Free. 
• The top reasons for following the diets listed above were to manage weight (22%), to manage nutrition (15%) not relating to pregnancy and to manage allergens or health concerns (11%).

•    Maybe baby: One in three women surveyed (32%) are going to start trying for a baby in the next 6-12 months and of these only 25% will follow a pre-conception/pregnancy nutrition diet. 
•    Preconception misconception: 47% of women surveyed think that their general nutrition will be sufficient to support their pregnancy and 1-in-5 women surveyed took a general multivitamin as opposed to a pregnancy-specific multivitamin despite the unique nutritional requirements of pregnancy.
•    A pregnant pause: 37% of women who are currently pregnant started taking pregnancy specific nutrition (including supplements) once pregnant. However it is important to consider that building higher levels of certain nutrients takes time, so it is better to start at least one month prior to trying to get pregnant as this will ensure your body is ready to support your baby’s health from the moment of conception. 

“We know that pregnancy can sometimes be an overwhelming time, especially when it comes to what you can and can’t eat. It can be information overload and at times difficult to access credible information for free. This is why I’ve collaborated with Elevit to release The Pre-conception & First 1000 Days Nutrition Pack to help ease the mental load around pre-conception and pregnancy nutrition for women,” said Ms Sacher.

Where optimal nutrition cannot be sourced solely from food, pre-conception and pregnancy multivitamins have an important role to play for supporting Australians looking to conceive and throughout their pregnancy. And yet as many as a quarter of those surveyed believe an everyday women’s multivitamin will suffice. 

“I always encourage that we focus on foods to fill nutritional gaps. However, this is not always possible due to life demands, limited time and heightened nutritional needs at various times in life. In these circumstances, we need to supplement with vitamins and minerals. General multivitamins certainly fill a need when managing nutrient deficiencies, however when it comes to preconception and pregnancy, there are additional nutrients required to support the developing baby’s needs for the best start in life and these are available from tailored pregnancy multivitamins,” says Ms Sacher. 
 

It is important for women to seek advice from a healthcare professional before taking any supplements.
^If you have a baby with a neural tube defect/spina bifida or other complication, seek specific medical advice.
 

Visit https://www.elevit.com.au/first1000days or your local health care professional for your FREE Pre-conception & First 1000 Days Nutrition Pack,  providing simple tools and recipes to support your health and your baby’s development.

[1] National Health and Medical Research Council. Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand Including Recommended Dietary Intakes, 2006.


About THE RESEARCH

The Pregnancy Nutrition Survey by Elevit is an exploration of women’s knowledge and approach to nutrition before, during and after pregnancy.

Commissioned by Elevit and conducted by independent consumer research agency, Researchify, it surveyed 1,000+ Australian females aged 18-54, who are going to start trying for a baby in the next 6 – 12 months, currently trying for a baby, currently pregnant or a recent biological mum (of a child under 5 years old). In the results below these respondents are defined as “women surveyed” or “current and aspiring mums”. 

‘The Pregnancy Nutrition Survey by Elevit’ was distributed throughout Australia including both capital city and non-capital city areas. The survey was conducted via quantitative ad-hoc online survey interviews from 21 February 2023 – 16 March 2023. After interviewing, data was weighted to the latest population estimates sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. For more information on statistical representation and research certification, please refer to the endnotes. 

In this survey, TTC refers to those “trying to conceive”. 

Recommended citation: ‘The Pregnancy Nutrition Survey by Elevit’. Survey of 1,000+ Australians aged 18-54. Commissioned by Elevit, executed by Researchify. 

About Elevit
Elevit’s purpose is to help provide every baby with the best nutritional start to life. The Elevit brand offers pre-conception, pregnancy and breastfeeding multivitamins and supplements specially formulated to help meet the increased nutritional needs of women as they navigate through pre-conception and The First 1000 Days of life, to support the healthy growth and development of their baby.  

From the 6th of April to the 2nd of August 2023 you can purchase Elevit Pre-conception & Pregnancy from Chemist Warehouse and receive $5 cash back. For full terms and conditions and for more information, visit: https://www.elevit.com.au/cashback

Always read the label and follow the directions for use.

About pregnancy nutrition 
It’s important to build up essential nutrients prior to pregnancy to support your baby’s healthy development from the very start of the First 1000 Days. Making sure there are adequate nutritional levels in the body at conception makes a fundamental contribution towards baby’s life-long health. Diet becomes even more important as nutritional requirements increase by up to 50%1 as soon as you fall pregnant and a range of micronutrients are needed for critical developments that take place during the early weeks – often before you’ve noticed the signs of pregnancy! For example, folic acid (folate) helps prevent neural tube defects like spina bifida, and iodine supports brain development during this time. Beyond the first trimester, you will need higher amounts of nutrients to maintain energy and support your baby’s ongoing healthy development.

*About The First 1000 Days
The first 1000 days of life from conception to a child’s second birthday (24 months), is a critical window for nutrition. Their first 1000 days of life can have a lifelong effect on their health and wellbeing and pose as a critical window to set the foundation for optimum lifelong health and development. During this time, a child’s brain and body are developing rapidly, and proper nutrition is essential for optimal growth and development. Inadequate nutrition during this period can lead to stunted growth, cognitive delays, and chronic health problems later in life. The right nutrition and care during the 1000 days window shapes a baby’s ability to grow, learn and thrive, not only now but for its whole life.

About Mandy Sacher
Mandy Sacher is a paediatric nutritionist, child nutrition expert, founder of the Wholesome Child website, blogger, and mother of two. She’s passionate about educating, empowering and inspiring families as they undertake their own unique nutrition and wellbeing journey. An expert in child nutrition, with over 20 years of experience in the health industry, Mandy’s philosophy is simple, practical and balanced, with the mission of encouraging long term achievable nutritional health based around whole foods.

Mandy received valuable consideration from Elevit to curate the Pre-conception & First 1000 Days Nutrition Pack. The Pre-conception & First 1000 Days Nutrition Pack is for educational and supportive purposes only and does not represent endorsement of any product or treatment by Mandy Sacher.