Supporting mothers on their journey

What’s good for mum is good for baby

Maternal nutrition and lifestyle choices before, during and after pregnancy can influence the health of both mother and baby

Marangoni, F., Cetin, I., Verduci, E., Canzone, G., Giovannini, M., Scollo, P., Corsello, G., & Poli, A. (2016). Maternal diet and nutrient requirements in pregnancy and breastfeeding. An Italian consensus document. In Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8100629
Miles, E. A., & Calder, P. C. (2017). Can early omega-3 fatty acid exposure reduce risk of childhood allergic disease? In Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9070784



. Mothers need adequate quantities of minerals like iodine, iron and calcium, as well as vitamin D, DHA and folic acid during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Marangoni, F., Cetin, I., Verduci, E., Canzone, G., Giovannini, M., Scollo, P., Corsello, G., & Poli, A. (2016). Maternal diet and nutrient requirements in pregnancy and breastfeeding. An Italian consensus document. In Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8100629



. Having a child is not only an incredibly exciting experience, but also sometimes a stressful one—especially as the world deals with the consequences of a global health crisis. Some of the most common challenges reported by mothers during pregnancy include nutrient deficiency, digestive discomfort and higher levels of anxiety

FrieslandCampina Ingredients, consumer research China, August 2020



. We offer our customers solutions to support mothers with these challenges, including ingredients like non-digestible galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and DHA (omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid; LCPUFA).

The potential of GOS

At FrieslandCampina Ingredients, we’re passionate about the potential benefits GOS can provide at any age. Over the past few decades, we have been developing highest-quality GOS ingredients for infant and young child formula, as well as for adult solutions. A study of iron-depleted young women found that consuming GOS enabled them to absorb greater amounts of iron from an iron supplement

Jeroense, F., Michel, L., Zeder, C., & Herter-aeberli, I. (2019). Consumption of Galacto Oligosaccharides Increases Iron Absorption from Ferrous Fumarate : A Stable Iron Isotope Study in Iron-Depleted Young Women. J Nutr, 149, 738–746..



. GOS have also been found to significantly increase calcium absorption in post-menopausal women

Van den Heuvel, E. G. H. M., Schoterman, M. H. C., & Muijs, T. (2000). Transgalactooligosaccharides Stimulate Calcium Absorption in Postmenopausal Women. The Journal of Nutrition, 130, 2938–2942.



. Further studies have shown that GOS combat constipation in adults above 60 years

Surakka, A., Kajander, K., Rajilić-Stojanović, M., Karjalainen, H., Hatakka, K., Vapaatalo, H., Zoetendal, E. G., De Vos, W. M., Korpela, R., & Tynkkynen, S. (2009). Yoghurt containing galactooligosaccharides facilitates defecation among elderly subjects and selectively increases the number of Bifidobacteria. International Journal of Probiotics and Prebiotics, 4(1), 65–74.
Teuri, U., & Korpela, R. (1998). Galacto-oligosaccharides relieve constipation in elderly people. Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism, 42(6), 319–327. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9895419



and offer a stronger prebiotic* effect than fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), linked to better intestinal barrier function in vitro and a reduced stress response in adults

Akbari, P., Fink-Gremmels, J., Willems, R. H. A. M., Difilippo, E., Schols, H. A., Schoterman, M. H. C., Garssen, J., & Braber, S. (2016). Characterizing microbiota-independent effects of oligosaccharides on intestinal epithelial cells: insight into the role of structure and size: Structure–activity relationships of non-digestible oligosaccharides. European Journal of Nutrition, 56(5), 1919–1930. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-016-1234-9
Schmidt, K., Cowen, P. J., Harmer, C. J., Tzortzis, G., Errington, S., & Burnet, P. W. J. (2015). Prebiotic intake reduces the waking cortisol response and alters emotional bias in healthy volunteers. Psychopharmacology, 232(10), 1793–1801. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-014-3810-0



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Mums-to-be may struggle with a range of stress factors which may have an impact on their health and well-being and that of their baby. Stress, in turn, can contribute to other related disorders like anxiety, a sustained mental health disorder

Smoller, J. W. (2016). The Genetics of Stress-Related Disorders: PTSD, Depression, and Anxiety Disorders. In Neuropsychopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2015.266



. To explore how diet could support women, FrieslandCampina Ingredients undertook a collaborative research programme with the University of Surrey. It aimed to examine the effects of GOS supplementation on anxiety and emotional well-being, as well as the role of the gut-brain axis. Initial results show that the consumption of Vivinal® GOS may be effective in lowering anxiety and improving emotional well-being in highly anxious women

Johnstone, N., Milesi, C., Burn, O., van den Bogert, B., Nauta, A., Hart, K., Sowden, P., Burnet, P. W. J., & Cohen Kadosh, K. (2021). Anxiolytic effects of a galacto-oligosaccharides prebiotic in healthy females (18–25 years) with corresponding changes in gut bacterial composition. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-87865-w



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Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids for health

The importance of maternal supplementation of omega-3 LCPUFAs, including DHA, has been shown in several clinical trials. Beneficial effects on visual acuity and long-term neurodevelopment have been found studying infants and children of supplemented mothers

Koletzko, B., Boey, C. C. M., Campoy, C., Carlson, S. E., Chang, N., Guillermo-Tuazon, M. A., Joshi, S., Prell, C., Quak, S. H., Sjarif, D. R., Su, Y., Supapannachart, S., Yamashiro, Y., & Osendarp, S. J. M. (2014). Current information and asian perspectives on long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in pregnancy, lactation, and infancy: Systematic review and practice recommendations from an early nutrition academy workshop. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. https://doi.org/10.1159/000365767
Campoy, C., Escolano-Margarit, V., Anjos, T., Szajewska, H., & Uauy, R. (2012). Omega 3 fatty acids on child growth, visual acuity and neurodevelopment. In British Journal of Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114512001493
Jensen, C. L., Voigt, R. G., Prager, T. C., Zou, Y. L., Fraley, J. K., Rozelle, J. C., Turcich, M. R., Llorente, A. M., Anderson, R. E., & Heird, W. C. (2005). Effects of maternal docosahexaenoic acid intake on visual function and neurodevelopment in breastfed term infants. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn.82.1.125
Jensen, C. L., Voigt, R. G., Llorente, A. M., Peters, S. U., Prager, T. C., Zou, Y. L., Rozelle, J. C., Turcich, M. R., Fraley, J. K., Anderson, R. E., & Heird, W. C. (2010). Effects of early maternal docosahexaenoic acid intake on neuropsychological status and visual acuity at five years of age of breast-fed term infants. Journal of Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2010.06.006



. DHA supplementation may decrease the risk of early premature birth

Koletzko, B., Boey, C. C. M., Campoy, C., Carlson, S. E., Chang, N., Guillermo-Tuazon, M. A., Joshi, S., Prell, C., Quak, S. H., Sjarif, D. R., Su, Y., Supapannachart, S., Yamashiro, Y., & Osendarp, S. J. M. (2014). Current information and asian perspectives on long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in pregnancy, lactation, and infancy: Systematic review and practice recommendations from an early nutrition academy workshop. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. https://doi.org/10.1159/000365767
Kar, S., Wong, M., Rogozinska, E., & Thangaratinam, S. (2016). Effects of omega-3 fatty acids in prevention of early preterm delivery: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized studies. European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2015.11.033
Middleton, P., Gomersall, J. C., Gould, J. F., Shepherd, E., Olsen, S. F., & Makrides, M. (2018). Omega-3 fatty acid addition during pregnancy. In Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003402.pub3
Wilson, N. A., Mantzioris, E., Middleton, P. T., & Muhlhausler, B. S. (2019). Gestational age and maternal status of DHA and other polyunsaturated fatty acids in pregnancy: A systematic review. Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plefa.2019.04.006



and may reduce the risk of allergy development in early life

Koletzko, B., Boey, C. C. M., Campoy, C., Carlson, S. E., Chang, N., Guillermo-Tuazon, M. A., Joshi, S., Prell, C., Quak, S. H., Sjarif, D. R., Su, Y., Supapannachart, S., Yamashiro, Y., & Osendarp, S. J. M. (2014). Current information and asian perspectives on long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in pregnancy, lactation, and infancy: Systematic review and practice recommendations from an early nutrition academy workshop. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. https://doi.org/10.1159/000365767
Miles, E. A., & Calder, P. C. (2017). Can early omega-3 fatty acid exposure reduce risk of childhood allergic disease? In Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9070784
Bisgaard, H., Stokholm, J., Chawes, B. L., Vissing, N. H., Bjarnadóttir, E., Schoos, A.-M. M., Wolsk, H. M., Pedersen, T. M., Vinding, R. K., Thorsteinsdóttir, S., Følsgaard, N. V, Fink, N. R., Thorsen, J., Pedersen, A. G., Waage, J., Rasmussen, M. A., Stark, K. D., Olsen, S. F., & Bønnelykke, K. (2016). Fish Oil–Derived Fatty Acids in Pregnancy and Wheeze and Asthma in Offspring. New England Journal of Medicine, 375(26), 2530–2539. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1503734
Willemsen, L. E. M. (2016). Dietary n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in allergy prevention and asthma treatment. European Journal of Pharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejphar.2016.03.062



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Did you know?

Our research reveals the nutritional support that mothers in different parts of the globe have in mind

FrieslandCampina Ingredients, social listening research, May 2020
FrieslandCampina Ingredients, consumer research China, August 2020



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*The scientific definition of a prebiotic is ‘a substrate that is selectively utilised by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit’. Gibson GR, et al. Expert consensus document: The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017 Aug;14(8):491-502. Whether the claim ‘prebiotic’ can be used on consumer products depends on local legislation.