Impact of lifestyle and mental well- being before, during and after pregnancy on pregnancy and birth related outcomes.

Research shows that a woman’s lifestyle, and more specifically her pre- pregnancy weight, has a major impact on pregnancy and birth related outcomes. Lifestyle interventions starting during pregnancy have an impact on a lower and therefore more adequate weight gain during pregnancy, but no relevant impact on pregnancy and birth outcomes such as gestational age, hypertension, having a caesarean section or giving birth to a large- for- gestational- age baby is shown. Prevention of a healthy lifestyle should therefore preferably start before pregnancy, i.e. the preconception period. In addition, we know that mental well- being and the woman’s perspective within a family context are important factors in behavioral change. In this project, the Inter-act study data and the intergenerational impact of lifestyle and mental well- being on short and long- term outcomes will be investigated from the perspective of the woman and her family.