Huang L, Shang L, Yang W, et al. - Researchers conducted a nested case-control study in northwest China examining the dietary characteristics of periconceptional women in this region and determining the correlation between specific dietary patterns and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Based on a prospective cohort of 368 women who were pregnant or prepared for pregnancy, they included 63 participants who developed the outcomes of gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, low birth weight, and birth defects in the case group. The control group comprised a total of 237 healthy pregnant women during the same period. They identified six major dietary patterns. The analysis revealed a correlation between high starchy food intake and adverse pregnancy outcomes; this was particularly evident during the first trimester of pregnancy. Findings thereby emphasize providing health education focusing on periconceptional dietary patterns to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes among these women.