Background: Cow milk contains many potentially growth-promoting factors. Objective: The objective was to examine whether milk consumption during pregnancy is associated with greater infant size at birth. Design: During 1996–2002, the Danish National Birth Cohort collected data on midpregnancy diet through questionnaires and on covariates through telephone interviews and ascertained birth outcomes through registry linkages. Findings were adjusted for mother's parity, age, height, prepregnant BMI, gestational weight gain, smoking status, and total energy intake; father's height; and family's socioeconomic status The analyses included data from 50 117 mother-infant pairs. Results: Mean (±SD) consumption of milk was 3.1 ± 2.0 glasses/d. Milk consumption was inversely associated with the risk of small-for gestational age (SGA) birth and directly with both large-for-gestational age (LGA) birth and mean birth weight (P for trend < 0.001). In a comparison of women drinking ≥6 glasses/d with those drinking 0 glasses/d, the odds ratio for SGA was 0.51 (95% CI: 0.39, 0.65) and for LGA was 1.59 (1.16, 2.16); the increment in mean birth weight was 108 g (74, 143 g). We also found graded relations (P < 0.001) for abdominal circumference (0.52 cm; 0.35, 0.69 cm), placental weight (26 g; 15, 38 g), birth length (increment: 0.31 cm; 0.15, 0.46 cm), and head circumference (0.13 cm; 0.04, 0.25 cm). Birth weight was related to intake of protein, but not of fat, derived from milk. Conclusion: Milk intake in pregnancy was associated with higher birth weight for gestational age, lower risk of SGA, and higher risk of LGA.

Objective: To validate intakes of protein, folic acid, retinol and n–3 fatty acids estimated from a food-frequency questionnaire in week 25 of pregnancy (FFQ-25).Design: Validation was done against a 7-day weighed food diary (FD) and biomarkers of the nutrients in gestation week 32–38.Subjects and setting: The FFQ-25 to be validated was used in the Danish National Birth Cohort comprising 101 042 pregnant Danish women, of whom 88 participated in the present validation study.Results: Estimated intakes of protein, retinol and folic acid did not differ significantly between the two dietary methods, but intake of n–3 fatty acids was one third larger when estimated from the FFQ-25. The intakes estimated from the two dietary methods were all significantly correlated, ranging from 0.20 for retinol intake to 0.57 for folic acid intake. Sensitivities of being correctly classified into low and high quintiles were between 0.22 and 0.77, and specificities were between 0.62 and 0.89. Urinary protein content did not correlate significantly with protein estimated from the FFQ (r = 0.17, P > 0.05), but did with intake estimated from the FD (r = 0.56, P < 0.0001). Erythrocyte folate correlated significantly with the estimated total intake from the FFQ (r = 0.55, P < 0.0001) and the FD (r = 0.52, P < 0.0001). No correlations with plasma retinol were found. Erythrocyte eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5n-3) correlated significantly with n–3 fatty acids intake estimated from both the FFQ-25 (r = 0.37, P < 0.001) and the FD (r = 0.62, P < 0.0001).Conclusion: The FFQ-25 gives reasonable valid estimates of protein, retinol and folic acid intakes, but seems to overestimate intake of n–3 fatty acids.

Background. Thus far, few factors with a causal relation to preterm birth have been identified. Many studies have focused on the woman's diet, but most have been discouraging. The aim of the present study was to examine if maternal intake of a Mediterranean‐type diet (MD) is associated with reduced risk of preterm birth.Methods. The Danish National Birth Cohort assessed diet in mid‐pregnancy by food frequency questionnaires (FFQ). Women consuming MD were those who ate fish twice a week or more, used olive or rape seed oil, consumed 5+ fruits and vegetables a day, ate meat (other than poultry and fish) at most twice a week, and drank at most 2 cups of coffee a day.Results. Of 35,530 non‐smoking women, 1,137 (3.2%) fulfilled all MD criteria, and 540 (1.5%) none. Odds ratios for preterm birth and early preterm birth were 0.61 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.35–1.05) and 0.28 (0.11–0.76), respectively, in MD women compared to women fulfilling none of the MD criteria.Conclusion. Shifting towards a MD during pregnancy may reduce the risk of early delivery in Danish women.