TABLE 2.
Summary of the possible issues related to maternal plant-based dietary patterns1
| Possible shortcomings | Possible effects (reference) |
| Lower intake of n–3 PUFAs | Lower DHA content in breast milk, especially in countries with lower gross domestic product; possible negative growth, metabolic, and immune childhood outcomes; lower PUFA delivery to the fetus (60–62) |
| Lower intake of vitamin B-12 | Vegan/vegetarian mothers might have vitamin B-12 deficiencies during gestation (12); possible lethargy, hypotonia, arrest/regression of developmental skills, megaloblastic anemia, neurodisability; increased NTD risk, lower lean mass, higher adiposity, insulin resistance, impaired neurodevelopment, higher cancer risk, hyperhomocysteinemia (63–68) |
| Lower intake of dietary minerals | Iron deficiencies during gestation in vegan/vegetarian mothers (12) correlate with lower birth weight, poor pregnancy outcome, impaired school performance, decreased productivity (69, 70); in reference 70, vegetarian mothers seemed to have adequate dietary iron intake vs. nonvegetarian mothers |
| Zinc deficiency (but insufficient evidence of possible effects during pregnancy) (71) | |
| Iodine deficiency: possible transient neonatal hypothyroidism (72, 73) | |
| Calcium deficiency: lower total body and total spine bone mineral content in children, possible risk of childhood rickets (74, 75) | |
| Lower vitamin D concentrations | Vegetarian diet might cause reduction in 25(OH)D concentrations, risk of hypovitaminosis D, and rickets in offspring (79–81) |
| Higher intake of phytoestrogens | Increased risk of hypospadias in rodents (82, 83); possible risk of hypospadias (conflicting data) (84–87) |
| Lower intake of specific micronutrients (e.g., selenium, DHA, EPA) | Vegetarian diet seems to be associated with postpartum depression (88, 89) |
| Higher maternal serum free β-human chorionic gonadotropin and α-fetoprotein concentrations | Higher false-positive rate of Down syndrome screening (as assessed in mothers following a vegetarian diet) (90) |
1
NTD, neural tube defect; 25(OH)D, 25-hydroxyvitamin D.