Nutrition and Health in Maternal and Infant Populations

Maternal and infant health is critically shaped by nutrition from preconception through early childhood. During pregnancy and lactation, increased demands for macro and micronutrients influence maternal metabolic adaptations, placental function, fetal growth, and breast milk composition. Inadequate or unbalanced maternal diets are linked to adverse outcomes such as gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, preterm birth, low birth weight, and suboptimal neurodevelopment. Conversely, targeted nutritional interventions—including supplementation, dietary pattern modifications, and fortified foods—have shown potential to mitigate these risks. However, evidence gaps remain regarding the optimal timing, duration, and composition of such interventions, as well as their mechanisms across diverse populations. Moreover, the first 1000 days (from conception to age 2) represent a window of plasticity where nutritional exposures can program long-term health, yet translation of basic research into clinical and public health practice is inconsistent. This Research Topic addresses the urgent need to consolidate current knowledge and stimulate innovative research on dietary strategies that promote maternal wellbeing and infant health outcomes, bridging molecular nutrition, epidemiology, and real-world implementation.This Research Topic aims to advance our understanding of how dietary nutrition and specific nutritional interventions during pregnancy, lactation, and infancy influence maternal and infant health outcomes. We seek to fill key knowledge gaps by compiling evidence from basic mechanistic studies, observational cohorts, randomized controlled trials, and translational applications. Specific objectives include: (1) identifying dietary patterns or single nutrients that reduce risks of pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes; (2) elucidating the role of maternal and infant gut microbiota in mediating nutritional effects; (3) exploring the impact of early life nutrition on long-term metabolic, immune, and neurodevelopmental trajectories; and (4) evaluating feasible, scalable nutritional strategies for diverse healthcare settings.Key focus includes but is not limited to:• Maternal dietary patterns (e.g., Mediterranean, plant based, low glycemic) and pregnancy outcomes (GDM, preeclampsia, gestational weight gain).• Nutritional interventions during lactation (e.g., supplementation with omega3, vitamins, probiotics) and effects on breast milk composition and infant growth.• Early life nutrition: complementary feeding strategies, formula modifications, and allergy/metabolic programming.• Micronutrient status (iron, folate, vitamin D, iodine, zinc) and maternal–fetal health, including placental function and epigenetic mechanisms.• Role of the gut–breast–infant axis: maternal diet, milk microbiota, and infant gut colonization.• Barriers and facilitators to implement evidence based nutritional guidance in prenatal and pediatric care.All submitted manuscripts must focus on human nutrition. Interdisciplinary approaches combining nutrition, metabolomics, microbiome analysis, and public health are encouraged. Topic editors: Qinyu Dang, Hongliang Wang Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81605/nutrition-and-health-in-maternal-and-infant-populations