Using FIGO Nutrition Checklist counselling in pregnancy: A review to support healthcare professionals

The period before and during pregnancy is increasingly recognized as an important stage for addressing malnutrition. This can help to reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases in mothers and passage of risk to their infants. The FIGO Nutrition Checklist is a tool designed to address these issues. The checklist contains questions on specific dietary requirements, body mass index, diet quality, and micronutrients. Through answering these questions, awareness is generated, potential risks are identified, and information is collected that can inform health-promoting conversations between women and their healthcare professionals. The tool can be used across a range of health settings, regions, and life stages. The aim of this review is to summarize nutritional recommendations related to the FIGO Nutrition Checklist to support healthcare providers using it in practice. Included is a selection of global dietary recommendations for each of the components of the checklist and practical insights from countries that have used it. Implementation of the FIGO Nutrition Checklist will help identify potential nutritional deficiencies in women so that they can be addressed by healthcare providers. This has potential longstanding benefits for mothers and their children, across generations.

Automated summary

The period before and during pregnancy is crucial for addressing malnutrition and reducing noncommunicable disease risks. The FIGO Nutrition Checklist is a tool designed to address these issues by assessing dietary requirements, body mass index, diet quality, and micronutrients. It generates awareness, identifies risks, and collects information for health-promoting conversations between women and healthcare professionals.