{
  "abstract": "Background Food insecurity, limited access to affordable and healthy foods, during pregnancy is associated with inadequate nutrition and increased risk of adverse maternal and infant health outcomes. Data on food insecurity prevalence and severity in pregnancy are currently lacking in the UK. The Food, Pregnancy & Me study explored the prevalence and health impact of food insecurity in pregnancy in two regions of high deprivation in England.Methods Questionnaires exploring food insecurity, mental health, and other health behaviours were distributed to pregnant people in their third trimester in two NHS Trusts in England (Gateshead and Coventry) between July 2024 and May 2025. Questionnaire responses were linked to routine maternity data. Food insecurity was classified as marginal, low, or very low food security (FS) using the USDA Food Security Survey Module. We estimated the prevalence of food insecurity during pregnancy and will conduct regression analyses to examine associations with sociodemographic factors, health behaviours, mental health, and other maternal and infant outcomes.Results In our population of 610 pregnant people, 169 (28%) experienced food insecurity during pregnancy: 98 (16%) marginal FS, 41 (7%) low FS, and 30 (5%) very low FS. Preliminary analysis shows that first trimester nutritional supplement use decreased with food insecurity severity (90% supplement use in food secure group vs. 66% very low FS). Antenatal depression rates increased with food insecurity severity (7% food secure, 21% marginal FS, 49% low FS, and 53% very low FS).Conclusion The prevalence of food insecurity during pregnancy in our population (28%) is higher than current estimates for the two UK regions in this study (12%). Increased nutritional demand and financial pressures during pregnancy can increase vulnerability to food insecurity. Wider antenatal food insecurity screening is required to understand wider prevalence estimates and guide support strategies to protect mothers and infants from associated adverse outcomes.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Zainab Akhter"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Isabelle E Hobson"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Eleanor Dyer"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Giang Nguyen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Judith Rankin"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Stephanie Scott"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Nicola Heslehurst"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Kerry Brennan-Tovey"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Applied Health Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Kate Jolly"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Applied Health Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Kiya Hurley"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Research and Development, Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, Gateshead, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Christine Möller-Christensen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Research and Development, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Nicola Flint"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Heather Brown"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Felling Food Network, Gateshead, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Sonya Dickie"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Amelia Lake"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Moat House Community Trust and Coventry Feeding Network, Coventry, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Dianne Williams"
    }
  ],
  "title": "OP10 Food, pregnancy & me: prevalence, sociodemographic factors, and maternal and infant health impact of food insecurity during pregnancy – a UK prospective cohort study",
  "uid": "09f80e51-1232-5d9a-94e3-6eb8c552cc24"
}