ABSTRACT BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Maternal dietary patterns were associated with embryonic growth and congenital anomalies. We aim to evaluate associations between early first trimester

maternal dietary patterns and embryonic morphological development among pregnancies with non-malformed outcome. SUBJECTS/METHODS A total of 228 strictly dated, singleton pregnancies without

congenital malformations were enrolled in a periconceptional hospital-based cohort. Principal component analysis was performed to extract early first trimester maternal dietary patterns from

food frequency questionnaires. Serial transvaginal three-dimensional ultrasound (3D US) scans were performed between 6+0 and 10+2 gestational weeks and internal and external morphological

in the study population (_β_ = 0.12 (95%CI: 0.00; 0.24), _p_ < 0.05). Weak adherence to this dietary pattern delayed embryonic development by 2.1 days (95%CI: 1.6; 2.6) compared to strong

adherence. The ‘high vegetables, fruit and grain’ dietary pattern accelerated embryonic development in the strictly dated spontaneous pregnancy subgroup without adjustment for energy

intake. CONCLUSIONS Early first trimester maternal dietary patterns impacts human embryonic morphological development among pregnancies without congenital malformations. The clinical meaning

of delayed embryonic development needs further investigation. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS

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references ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank the Rotterdam periconception cohort team for contributions to recruitment, data collection, and cleaning. AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS *

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, Netherlands Francesca Parisi, Melek Rousian, Régine P. M.

Steegers-Theunissen, Sten P. Willemsen & Eric A. P. Steegers * Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Régine P. M. Steegers-Theunissen * Department of Bioinformatics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Dr. Molewaterplein 50-60, 3015 GE, Rotterdam, Netherlands Anton H. J. Koning *

Department of Biostatistics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, Netherlands Sten P. Willemsen * Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Bomenweg 2, 6700

EV, Wageningen, Netherlands Jeanne H. M. de Vries * Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Hospital Luigi Sacco, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy Irene Cetin Authors *

Francesca Parisi View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Melek Rousian View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed 

Google Scholar * Régine P. M. Steegers-Theunissen View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Anton H. J. Koning View author publications You can

also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Sten P. Willemsen View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Jeanne H. M. de Vries View

author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Irene Cetin View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Eric A.

P. Steegers View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to Régine P. M. Steegers-Theunissen. ETHICS DECLARATIONS

CONFLICT OF INTEREST No conflicts of interests are declared. RST is CSO of the startup company Slimmere Zorg and CEO of eHealth Care Solutions. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and

permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Parisi, F., Rousian, M., Steegers-Theunissen, R.P.M. _et al._ Early first trimester maternal ‘high fish and olive oil and low meat’ dietary

pattern is associated with accelerated human embryonic development. _Eur J Clin Nutr_ 72, 1655–1662 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-018-0161-7 Download citation * Received: 27

November 2017 * Revised: 23 January 2018 * Accepted: 04 March 2018 * Published: 20 April 2018 * Issue Date: December 2018 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-018-0161-7 SHARE THIS ARTICLE

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