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Associations between maternal first trimester SIMPLE nutritional score, early placental markers and pregnancy outcome: a prospective multicenter Italian study (SIMPLE study) protocol
  • Francesca Parisi,
  • Chiara Coco,
  • Irene Cetin
Francesca Parisi

Corresponding Author:parisi.francesca@asst-fbf-sacco.it

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Chiara Coco
Ospedale dei Bambini Vittore Buzzi
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Irene Cetin
University of Milano
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Abstract

Currently, the adherence to nutritional guidelines is critically low, with alarming rates of obesity worldwide and micronutrient deficiencies documented even in industrialized countries. As a consequence, nutritional screening and counselling represent a critical subject in early pregnancy, aiming to improve pregnancy outcome and population health. In this setting, the development of a simple and reproducible nutritional checklist is of utmost importance. The Simple Study is a longitudinal prospective multicenter study aiming to identify the associations between nutritional habits in the first trimester, early markers of placental function, and pregnancy outcome on a large population of singleton pregnancies in Italy. Ongoing healthy singleton pregnancies will be enrolled at the ultrasound scan of the first trimester combined screening test (11+0-13+6 gestational weeks). A nutritional score measuring the adherence to a healthy diet and nutritional deficiencies will be collected at recruitment. Fetal (crown-rump length, nuchal translucency, biparietal diameter, femur length) and utero-placental (placental volume, uterine arteries Doppler velocimetry) ultrasound data and biochemical placental markers (Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein A (PAPP-A), free ß-Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG)) will be collected. Second and third trimester ultrasound records and birth outcomes will be recorded from medical registers. The present study will set the stage for introducing a reproducible, time-saving and low-cost nutritional screening in pregnancy. The nutritional score will allow the implementation of specific corrective measures with potential large impact on placentation and pregnancy outcome.