Having Happy Children

However young – "Start preparing now" say the scientists – Part 1.

For Experts - More Evidence – Part 2.

Photo of a young, smiling Afro-Caribbean child facing the camera, wearing pink and holding a bunch of grapes in one hand. With her other hand she touches her forehead. — Eat-Better-Start-Better [1]

PART 1.

The beginnings of any children you may have one day are already within you, so best to start feeding their beginnings now. Your health now will affect them physically and mentally. Building your nutritional stores and keeping free from toxins, and finding help in stressful times, will be valuable not only to your own health and ability but also to any children you may have.

Greta Thunberg and many children are more ready to act for our future than many adults - just one reason why I am writing this first part directly to you. The second part is more technical but I am sure your science teacher will help explain.

Photo of a young Greta Thunburg at podium holding mic, making a speech. In the backtround are other children, out of focus

Natural foods in the right balance are the best, and keeping well exercised.

I took this photo in 1986 at Namalemba in Uganda, when the country was in a terrible state, but the people here were growing their own natural food and were not far from the Nile and Lake Victoria for fish.

Walking everywhere, growing their own food, carrying all their water, helped keep them healthy.

Photo of smiling Afro-Caribbean woman holding child level with her face, facing camera. In the backgound are other women looking on standing by a tree, out of focus — Simon H House

Eat-Better-Start-Better websites give excellent advice on choice of foods. Preschool parent-child care schemes, like Sure Start [1] and Early Years Foundation [2], succeed in saving children from not just early problems in behaviour and learning but through life [3]. Otherwise early problems can lead to school exclusion, unemployment, and even offending. [4]

Photo of young Afro-Caribbean child sitting at a table, taking grapes off a bunch on a plate of fruit — Eat-Better-Start-Better [1]

Are you a hopeful would-be grandparent? Can you help your children bring you healthy grandchildren?

Knowing some of the hidden processes in conceiving and bearing babies encourages people to become healthy and well nourished, This gives the best chance of producing healthy, able and happy children.

Here are some scientific reasons for preparing in advance.

Photo of infant Afro-Caribbean child holding a knife and a sliced tomato, smiling. They are helped by Caucacian female arms, face off camera — Eat-Better-Start-Better [1]

As early as 7 weeks before ovulation this 'pre-egg', or Oocyte, in the ovary since before birth, will have 'woken up' and be developing.

Round the Oocyte, Food-stores form for the coming 8-day free-floating journey to the womb-wall. A Gland to sustain pregnancy also forms.

The right nutrients are vital to build healthy cells, free of interfering toxins.

Public pollution - we can help reduce.

Personal pollution - we can stop.

Trypitch of pictures: cartoon cars in traffic; young rebellious-looking woman in hoodie, cigarette between her lips, looking to camera, holding a lighter with flame emerging; young woman smiling at hen party, holding cocktail, wearing mock bridal veil, in background are similar women

At conception the sperm and ovum have been long developing, so smoking and alcohol are harmful, not just in pregnancy, but in the months before pregnancy. [18]

For some weeks before conceiving, changing from a contraceptive pill to condoms avoids possible harm from residue of a hormonal contraceptive.

Slide of table showing women's risk of miscarriage incrased by smoking: 60%, drinking only: 250%, combined drinking and smoking: 410%

Low birthweight and prematurity carry risks. What factors increase the risks?

This list shows the 10 main risks from before conception. [113, 4]

Premature birth, often due to poor growth, aggravates problems.

Slide listing various factors before conception with risk of low birthweight.

When people are young and may be swept off their feet in love, they may find themselves starting a baby sooner than they expected. It's best if people keep themselves well nurtured to give any children the best chance in life.

Stress, whether emotional, nutritional or from disease, is best minimised for everyone's sake, especially the child's.

The man as well as the woman needs to be toxin-free and well-nourished. Sperm are developing many months ahead of possible fertilisation, an important time for the child-to-be.

In both sperm and ovum, around conception, switches on the genes ('epigenetic') are being reset (see below).

Appropriate settings are essential to development and health through life, another reason for robust health and nutrition of both partners before conception.

The health of each parent affects their children's lasting health and ability, and their children's children. [5,6,7]

Electron microsocope photo of sperms penetrating outside of human egg cells — L Nilsson

Cartoon of two woman looking at a baby in a basket. One is saying to the other, 'We think it was the novelty condom - he likes anything banana flavoured'

Preconception care is not a new idea

Good feeding before conception has been practised for thousands of generations - for farm animals if not always for humans! A renewal of preconception care was sparked by the terrible Dutch Hunger Winter of 1944/5.

Babies conceived during the worst shortage suffered most deaths and malformations

Babies conceived during, and just following, the worst shortage were worst affected, and their children too suffered effects.

By the 1990s, vitamins including B9 folate, and minerals, given before conception in controlled trials, greatly reduced infant malformations.

Chart of perinatal deaths per 1000 shown rising sharply during the period in question — Sources (Stein 1975, Heijmans 2008, House 2009) {99, 100, 101}

The embryo at 3 weeks is a disc, which curls and then seals into a neural tube. If specific nutrients are short, sealing may be incomplete, leaving malformation. Ensuring complete sealing protects from spina bifida, cleft palate and limb reduction.

Those brain cells you can see are also vulnerable at this early stage.

Physical impairments cannot be corrected by subsequent development but can mainly be prevented by preconception care.

Electron microscope photo of neural tube sealing at 3 weeks and brain cells at 3 weeks — L Nilsson

Preparation for conceiving a child could not be more rewarding.
Preconception care gives your child the greatest chance of fulfilling his or her genetic potential.

The preconception supplement best known is folic acid - or better folate - vitamin B9, which is best eaten as food - leafy greens, beans etc. [12]

People conceived during Gambia's wet vegetable season are 10 times less likely to die from disease than those conceived in its dry grain season.

Folate fortification of flour is reducing neural tube defects in many places including UK.

Slide showing figures from Gambia: 10 less likely to die from disease if born during season of veggies vs grain

Nutrients powerfully affect first trimester development, as has long been clear of the neural tube, for instance.

Specifically brain development is affected by first trimester intake of nuts.

Performance at 1.5 years; 5 years; and 8 years correlated with nut intake specifically in the first trimester - longitudinal study May 2019 by Gignac F, Julvez J. et al. [25]

Photo of a bowl full of mixed nuts, some overflowing to the table — Obstetrics & gynaecology

Fish for the brain
Another vital nutrient, especially for the brain, is omega-3 DHA, mainly from fish, long associated with brain quality, and explained scientifically in the 1970s. [21]

By 6 months in the womb, the already large brain is growing extra fast, making a huge demand on the mother for DHA. The 'placental pump' favours the fetus, If DHA is short, the fetus draws it from the mother's brain, Her lack of DHA often causes her depression, as is common with the Western diet and affects the child [24] .

Brain grows fastest from 6-months in the womb to the first months after birth.

Contrast the hand-sizes of mother and baby. The baby's brain and head size is fast catching up with his mother's.

DHA has been essential to evolve and sustain the brains of all species. Of larger mammals, only sea mammals can reach brain size comparable to humans, since they need mainly fish or algae.

Only seashore evolution - or riverside or lakeside - and fish could have fed our brain to reach the size it has [24]

Shellfish are perfect for pregnant mothers to gather their own supply. [48]

Photo of a school of dophins jumping out of the sea. Behind them rises a large cresting wave — Shutterstock.com

Foresight Preconception Care was established for couples suffering infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, or a malformed baby. For 40 years Nim Barnes showed the value of preparing for pregnancy,

Foresight screened both partners, and corrected for nutrient deficits, toxins, and hidden diseases. In a university-monitored cohort of 367 couples 89% conceived, all bearing healthy well-developed babies. Subsequent records are also available. [26]

Foresight Preconception Care achieved twice the success rate of IVF's just for conception, [29] preventing the need for IVF with its related risks, and raising IVF's success rate when used in combination.

The very caring attitude of Nim Barnes no doubt reduced stress, a significant factor. [27,28] For further comment click: https://www.michellesblog.co.uk/conceiving-healthy-babies-naturally/

Jacket of the book 'How To Conceive Healthy Babies - the natural way' showing a photo of two smiling infants in dungarees

Like the baby here, we all begin in our grandmothers, a generation before our conception!

Transgenerational effects pass down by both genders. [38]

Tripich: in center panel a picture of couple with their baby. 1st and 3rd panels show the parents' respective mothers

So our grandparents' lifestyles have affected how we are, and our lifestyles are affecting how our grandchildren will be, as well as our children.

The longer ahead parents have been building their own health, the healthier the generations to come - unintended babies too!

Photo of boys playing football in a muddy field

Do not forget - we are still evolving!

Both parents, especially the woman, need to be healthy. As children they need to have learned how to nourish themselves, keep exercised, and free of infection and toxins.

Children need to learn young how to build their health.

Photo of children of various ages cooking while being overseen by a woman in a hajib

Whatever your age, you may like to understand more about this fascinating subject in Part 2.

Part 2

PART 2. is primarily for health professionals, teachers, and authorities, yet it is for everyone who wishes to understand the reasons to promote healthy conception. It is the way for the world's babies to begin life with the best chances possible.

Our Brain, most important, complex and vulnerable, is most in need of protection to reach its full potential. Preconception care can turn the rising tide of disorders, of learning and behavioural problems, school exclusion, un-employability and crime.

So many children are conceived and born to be happy. But . .

Colour image of an MRI scan of a male head showing the brain in blue — MRI scan M Witmore

80% of crime follows childhood behaviour problems,
some at 2 or 3 years, [4]
with a high risk of problems
of learning, of unemployment, even prison.

Photo of threatening-looking youths lined up against a wall, on of them in hooded jacket, another with shaven head

Yet specialist care preschool
stabilised half the children by age 5½
in mainstream education,
freeing them from high risk.

[4,39,40]

Artistic picture of two children riding a slice of water melon as if it was a see-saw — Eat-Better-Start-Better [1]

Epigenetic switches are altered biochemically by nutrition and emotions. At conception they are set some according to mother's, some to father's. Epigenetic changes continue but fewer after conception.

Epigenetic settings from healthy parents help protect a child from: obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular and mental disorders, Healthy settings also reduce risks of: autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, behaviour and learning problems, and eating disorders. Causes of these are likely prenatal, very likely before conception.

Diagram of molecular structures and DNA transcription processes

Montage of smiling human faces from various ethnicities

Low birth weight has long been the main marker of poor development.
The lower a child's birth-weight below 3.2 kg the greater the risk of problems.

Below 3.2 kg - only slightly below average - a child's birth-weight correlates with the mother's nutrient deficits by some:

   20% - key minerals & vitamins, [19]
   50% - omega-3 DHA [19,20]
   70% - ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 oils (since omega-6 competes with omega-3 for enzyme use).

Note: The wide range of theses nutrients trialed and advised is tabled & referenced shortly before the main References.

The source of omega-3 DHA is mainly fish, long associated with brain quality, since 1972 shown scientifically. [21]

The mother's build-up of micro-nutrient stores for crucial stages, such as the neural tube's sealing at 3 weeks; or major call for DHA in the brain's rapid growth spurt in the third trimester, is high priority. DHA shortage will prejudice the baby's brain and deplete the mother’s brain, rendering her liable to depression.

Deprivation's worst and lasting effects on the fetus are due to poor maternal nutrition, and increased stress, with high maternal-fetal cortisol. [41] Stress and its effects are reduced by caring family, friends, and professional support, Comfort reduces cortisol, increasing endorphins and other hormones favouring development.

All negative factors play a part in the Cycle of Deprivation, repeating each generation. Badly deprived areas have many more low birthweight babies than better off areas, eg UK [42] or Berlin [61]

Twins, low birthweight and IVF.

With twins: low birthweight is 10 times as likely to occur; preterm 9 times as likely, infant death 5 times; cerebral palsy 4 times, neonatal costs are on average 16 times average. Of 20 twin pairs in the UK, 13 to 19 have been from IVF.

IVF is used most wisely and effectively in the tenth of cases when preconception care has not been enough to allow conception. Preconception care saves hassle, risk, and high cost and it has been shown to double the chance of IVF success,[27] with a strong record of achieving fully healthy children. IVF is important in specific cases such as a blocked fallopian tube.

Table showing the effects of various nutrients on birthweight: Minerals, Vitamins, and Other Nutrients. Each nutrient has a corresponding coefficient indicating its effect. The table also includes a row for babies with birthweight less than 3200g, with specific coefficients for omega-3 DHA and the long-chain omega-6s/-3s ratio.

Table showing the correlations between birth weights (under 3200g) and gestational age at delivery with cord red blood corpuscles, DHA, and omega-6/-3 long-chain ratio. The table includes data for both the general population and a risk group.

Shart showing percentage of low birth rate by social status. The lower the percentage, the higher the social status

Table showing the relative risks of various health issues for twins compared to singletons, including low birthweight, preterm birth, infant death, neonatal unit admission, neonatal cost, cerebral palsy, and language disabilities in boys

Image stating that 70-95% of twin births in the UK are from IVF, and that IVF is important but often unnecessary with preconception care

Prevention of problems before conception works best. Preconception supplementing of minerals & vitamins, notably folate, was shown to prevent neural tube disorders by around 90% and cardiovascular disorders by 50% in large controlled trials. [9, 10, 11]

Folate takes some weeks to build up in red blood cells so needs to be increased well in advance of conception.

Slide showing results of a double-blind controlled trial by Andrew Czeizel in 1995 found that preconception care with supplements (folic acid, other B vitamins, zinc, etc.) reduced the incidence of neural tube disorders and cardiovascular disorders in pregnancies.

Foresight Preconception Care, for couples suffering infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, or malformation, screened both partners, correcting for nutrient deficits, toxins, and hidden diseases. With such high risk parents, figures on the right show a university monitored cohort, Similar records extend over several decades.

Cohort: 367 couples, Achieved 327 babies (89%), All healthy, full-term, full-weight. Monitored by Surrey University Neil Ward, 1993

Building cells and setting switches
Epigenetic re-setting continues during gestation and subsequently but never as extensively as at conception. These settings are reversible, but in evolution multiple epigenetic changes correlate with mutations, which are not reversible, making diet especially significant (House 2011). [43] The danger is sudden changes to our evolutionary diet through our revolutions in agriculture, industry and food preparation. These endanger our health, particularly in reproduction. 'The metabolic syndrome' - obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular and mental disorders - is related particularly to periconceptional epigenetics.

Brain development and vital omega-3 DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) - The connection between brain health and fish was first made scientifically in 1972 by Professor Michael Crawford (Crawford & Crawford 1972).[44] The prime molecule is omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the most important lipid (fat) in the brain’s structure, and even in the whole body.

The mother's shortage at conception of omega-3 DHA risks leaving her baby's brain with developmental flaws visible in scans at birth. [22,23] This is scarcely surprising, recalling the visibility of early brain-cells at 3 weeks from conception.
Any such flaws will be experienced later as mental disorder.

The main factors underlying brain developmental disorders are understood through blood analyses, brain-scans, epidemiology, genetics and epigenetics.

Ultrasounds of brain scans showing scars corresponding to mother's malnutrition and stress at conception

Mental health's dependence on fish/ DHA is clear in these cross-nations graphs (Hibbeln 2001). [47]

The biggest demand for DHA is when the already large fetal brain is growing rapidly, during the 3rd-trimester and soon after birth (Crawford & Sinclair 1972)[45], when the brain's demands are often too much for the mother's supply (Cunnane 2014)[46].
The 'placental pump' then favours the fetus, leaving the mother's brain short of DHA.
This is commonly the cause of a mothers' perinatal depression, which harms her bonding with her child and wellbeing of both.

A scatter plot showing the relationship between apparent seafood consumption and postnatal depression prevalence in various countries. The data shows a negative correlation (r = -0.81, p < 0.0005), suggesting that higher seafood consumption is associated with lower rates of postnatal depression.

The baby's large brain's months of fastest growth, before and following birth, making heaviest demand for DHA, must be when shortage impacts worst on mother & baby.

As well as leaving the mother with depression, shortage can impact on the offspring's brain, with subsequent problems in mental health, behaviour and learning.

A scatter plot showing the relationship between postnatal depression prevalence and DHA content in mothers' milk from various countries. Suggesting that higher DHA content in mothers' milk is associated with lower rates of postnatal depression.

Children's mental problems are often named to classify a child's prime need for help in school. But they they are not entirely distinct.. 67% of Conduct Disorders co-occur with Speech Language & Communication Needs (SLCN), [59] which in turn co-occurs with Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy and Autism. [60] And children's classifications vary from one school-stage to another.

Cerebral Palsy, not common but can be a severe brain disorder at high cost - the tip of the iceberg.

Autism and Epilepsy come next, less severe, less expensive per person, but more common.

Still less severe but still more common are Speech, Language & Communication Needs (SLCN). Boundaries between these three are unclear. Prevalence & Costs are UK indicated in Chart.

All these problems impinge heavily on the child's life, the family, and the school.

A pyramid chart showing the prevalence and cost of various developmental problems in the UK. Divided into three levels of severity: Severe, Less Severe, and Mild. The top level (Severe) includes Cerebral Palsy with a prevalence of 0.03 million and a cost of £8 billion per year. The middle level (Less Severe) includes Autistic Spectrum & Epilepsy with a prevalence of 1 million and a cost of £35 billion per year. The bottom level (Mild) includes Speech, Language & Communication Needs with a prevalence of 6 million and a cost of £5 billion per year. — Sources (Boyes Turner UK, All Party PG Epilepsy 2007, Knapp 2014, Secretary for Health 2001, Cooper 2004, Freeman 2006) [53,54,55,56,57,58]

Behaviour problems and co-occurring disorders
Behaviour difficulties correlate with Disadvantaged Environment [62] as well as with Low Birthweight,
and either factor raises the risk of behavioural problems.
- behavioural problems increase 30% for each kilogram drop in birthweight. [63]
- at school age ADHD and other behaviours directly relate to prematurity, as do cognitive scores. [64]
These problems can be temporarily ameliorated by nutrition. Both children's behavioural problems, and young prisoners' violence, were significantly reduced by fish oil supplements. [65,66]

Special Educational Needs (SEN) are clearly related to prenatal factors, as shown by SEN's strong correlation with low birthweight. (The dip after 'Very low' is due to mercifully few birthweights so low). [61]

The size of Bettge's study indicates reliability.

A line chart showing the correlation between birthweight and the likelihood of needing Special Educational Needs (SEN) at age 5-6 in a study of 134,000 children in Berlin. The chart indicates that lower birthweight is associated with a higher risk of SEN.

The correlation of birthweight below 3kg with learning difficulties at 5-6 years, reflects the harsh reality that: Central Nervous System Disorders likewise correlate with Low Birth Weight. [102]

A line graph showing the relationship between birthweight and the prevalence of central nervous system disorders related to birthweight in the UK. The graph demonstrates a clear inverse correlation. Birthweight is associated with higher rates of central nervous system disorders. Additionally, a note indicates that the rate of low birthweight in the UK increased from 6.6% in 1953 to 8% in 2005.

Late adolescence and adulthood
In unfolding lives we see developmental problems striking teenagers more deeply. Many find themselves excluded from school, 'Not in Education, Training or Employment' (NEET), and even falling into crime.

The prevalence and cost of NEETs, and of crime after early onset behaviour problems, are portrayed in this Chart. [27,4]

A pyramid chart showing the prevalence and cost of developmental problems in the UK. The base of the pyramid represents less severe conditions like speech, language, and communication needs, followed by more severe issues like autism spectrum disorders and epilepsy. The top of the pyramid represents the most severe condition, cerebral palsy. The chart also shows the estimated annual cost of each condition in billions of pounds and notes that 80% of UK crime can be attributed to early-onset behavioral problems.

Preventing offensive behaviours before they arise
The excellent success of Sure Start and others' parent-child preschool programs, particularly in disadvantaged areas, (Farrington 2006) [70] encourages preconception care to prevent developmental problems before any occur. Education in such as nutrition and not smoking, care to reduce hidden diseases, and stress, would reduce low birth-weight, prematurity, and brain damage, behavioural and learning problems.

Children, whose mothers in pregnancy had eaten less than two meals of fish a week, scored lower at age 3 years, and at 7, on four intelligence counts:
   - social
   - prosocial development
   - fine motor
   - verbal IQ
Serious shortfall in such development is likely to risk serious social problems, even violence, [50]

Four bar charts showing the percentage of children with suboptimal development in various areas (social development, prosocial skills, fine motor skills, and verbal IQ) based on their mothers' seafood consumption during pregnancy. The x-axis shows the frequency of seafood consumption (none, under 2 meals per week, over 2 meals per week), and the y-axis shows the percentage of children with suboptimal development. Overall, the charts suggest that children whose mothers consumed more seafood during pregnancy had lower rates of suboptimal development in all areas.

Homicide and suicide rates across nations correlate with lower seafood consumption. Again, fish or DHA shortage is likely to affect populations at the point in the life-cycle when it is needed in greatest quantity, that is in the third trimester, the peak of demand by fetus and mother.

Clearly increasing fish intake promises a fall in violent behaviour, and best policy would be a general raising of DHA levels by algae and fish consumption, especially for those most likely to conceive.

Scatter plot showing a negative correlation between homicide mortality and apparent seafood consumption per person per year in 26 countries.

Particularly with tendencies to violence, plentiful DHA is vital not only in brain development but in sustaining its good function,

Scatter plot showing a negative correlation between suicide mortality and apparent seafood consumption per person per year in 26 countries.

Similar nutrition improves problems not prevented in development. -

Supplemented with fish-oils:

1. schoolchildren with coordination disorders significantly improved performance.

2. young prisoners' incidents of violence fell by 37% within a fortnight, sustained for 9 months of the double-blind controlled trial.

Image showing a statistic about 37% less violence in young prisoners who ate fish oils, vitamins and minerals

Throughout pregnancy, loving support, especially in times of stress or shock, is important to the child's present and future life. [32,33,34] This has for decades been the concern of key pre- and perinatal societies. [35,36] A child is powerfully affected by the psycho-neurological state of the mother, and the family emotional environment.

Shock and stress in pregnancy Stress and shock have different effects on a child’s life depending on stage of gestation.

Women in pregnancy were surveyed following this earthquake in California.
Women who had been shocked during their first trimester had significantly more premature births.

Photo showing a collapsed highway flyover

After 9/11, the twin towers' destruction in 2001, women who had been in their third trimester had children significantly more stressed.

Shock or stress, or separation, is often unavoidable, but recognising their effects in pregnancy increases the chance of extra protection or support, and perhaps counselling.

Photo showing the wreakage of World Trade Centre

There can be profound effects on the child's behaviour and learning ability.

Impacts on a child in pregnancy or birth vary according to stage of development, as shown here.

Table showing the potential negative effects of stress or shock during pregnancy on a child's development, including preterm delivery, mental retardation, stress in childhood, and increased risk of violent crime by age 18. Also notes that these effects are related to rising cortisol levels.

A cell-memory scientist, Frank Lake, became a psychiatrist.

Lake, and his large team of psychotherapists, became convinced that their patients' anxieties were rooted in early cell-memory, and that events at conception and in early pregnancy had the strongest impact. [30,31]

Frank Lake's view was widely rejected until scientists understood epigenetics, changeable switches on the genes, all of which are reset at the time of conception.

Black and white pencil portrait of Frank Lake, smiling gently, he is middle-aged wearing bi-focals, male-pattern baldness, with the air of a kindly uncle.

The lower a baby's birthweight below normal, and the more preterm, the more risk of problems, including long-term. Here are some of the problems: [103,104]

The risk of perinatal death with normal birth-weight is just over 1 in 1000. But with low birth-weight the risk rises 27 times, very low 130 times.

For ear and retina, and lungs, risks also rise steeply as birth-weight falls.

Table showing the increased risk of various health problems, including perinatal death, hearing loss, and vision problems, in babies born with low birthweight. Includes relative risk values compared to normal birthweight and general rates for each problem.

White matter brain circuits with low birthweight are altered, likely reducing cognitive function, & contributing in early adulthood to psychotic experiences. [105]

Shorter gestational age means risk of:
   - less well developed Cortex
   - abnormal White matter
   - differences between Regions

Showing infant term vs preterm brain scans and cortex, white matter and regional differences

A premature child tends to have a brain showing less folding because the extension of arteries and other tissue has been inhibited, as is apparent in this scan.

Two images comparing the brain arteries of a term infant and a preterm infant, term age. The term infant's brain artery shows more folding than the preterm infant's.

The shorter gestation, the more neuromotor and cognitive impairments. Below 32 weeks these correlate with :
- A disability at 5 years
- DCD and ADHD at 7-8

These disorders contribute to poor coordination and communication, with learning and behaviour difficulties and disabilities, and in adolescence with nervousness and moodiness. Below 27 weeks, risk of cerebral palsy increases 56 times.

Table showing the increased risk of various developmental problems in preterm infants born before 32 weeks, including developmental coordination disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, moodiness, neuroticism, shorter education, and cerebral palsy. Includes relative risk values and general rates for each problem.

The high risk of crime after early onset conduct disorder

Above we referred to toddlers with behavior problems established, by child-parent intervention, in mainstream education. If intervention could be advanced to prevent the developmental damage in the first place, serious suffering would be more effectively reduced, and much more money saved. Strong evidence shows this is achievable, and is just what Sainsbury CMH's following report in 2010 [114] called for, jointly with the Medical Research Council's Strategic Review [115]

A slide presentation highlighting the link between early-onset conduct problems and crime in the UK. It states that 80% of UK crime is associated with these problems and that pre-school programs can help 50% of children with such problems settle into normal schooling, thus preventing half of this crime.

Figures above have been indicating the bearing of prenatal and preconceptional conditions on subsequent intelligence, learning and behaviour.

A slide presentation about the returns on investment of pre-school programs in the US. It highlights improved academic gains, reduced costs, health benefits, and higher employment as key outcomes.

Preconception care would surely reduce prenatal impairment and the need for special preschool programs

Most important is that all children and young generally are educated in preconception care.

The simplest and most promising first step seems to be extending school sex-education to conception-education, making its significance part of public awareness.

A slide presentation asking what could be achieved with earlier investment in early childhood programs. It suggests that preconception education and care could have even greater benefits, including fewer operations, mental disorders, and lifelong disability.

By the time couples intend children they are often distracted with earnings home-finding for such attention. Anyway, so many conceptions are unintended. [71]

Even in 1986 the renowned pioneer Geoffrey Chamberlain MD, FRCS, FRCOG said 'prepregancy education' should be long before anticipation of pregnancy, by those who look after young people in schools. [37]

A slide presentation discussing research on the origins of learning and behavioral problems. It highlights that these problems can arise during prenatal development and that pre-conception care can greatly reduce disorders, including brain disorders. The slide also emphasizes the importance of education in pre-conception care for its effectiveness and economic benefits.

Raised Relative Risks from unemployment to crime

Even if success of wider preconception care were only a small percentage, some millions of offspring in the UK would be protected: some £billions pa would be saved from the Costs Table further below.

The red figure ~ 3 is hard to gauge. The graph above (Find 'Deprivation') shows socially 'upper' parents have only one-fifth as many babies of low birthweight as 'lower'. 58,61,72] Improving conditions is essential.

Early-life risks of those in prison are shown in a Table just before main references.

Showing how early problems increase relative risks through stages. Preconception adversity leads to low birthweight (over 2x risk), which can result in various issues, culminating in a 12x risk of prison. Notable stages: school exclusion, youth offending, unemployment.

Underlying violent tendencies are depression and mental disturbance, easily triggered by political terrorism.

Image depicting violence and its connection to domestic and social terrorism, common roots in mental state. Picture of aftermath of mass shooting in San Bernadino.

In recent US mass shootings at least 57% had shot someone in the family or intimate relationship. In at least 21 incidents the shooter had a prior domestic violence charge. [106]

57% of mass shooters in America had already killed a family member. Violence cannot be disociated with brain disorder.

Brain scan of a murderer (right) and a normal control (left), illustrating the lack of activation in the prefrontal cortex in the murderer.
Warm colors (e.g., red and yellow) indicate areas of high brain activation; cold colors (e.g. blue and green) indicate low activation. [110]

MRI scan of two brains: one normal, one of a murderer showing apparent differences.

Comparing prisoners' relative risks further, their mental disorders and suicide are 14 and 15 times general levels.

A criminologist, imprisoned for growing cannabis, commented on prisoners' disturbed lives:
"I found 50% of my fellow inmates functionally illiterate, 50% mentally or emotionally disturbed, with horrendous childhood backstories. Helping a suicidal young guy with form-filling, I asked his age and place of birth - he replied:
'I dunno. They never told me.'"

Prisoners relative risks of mental disorder (14) or suicide (15):

The World Health Organisation pays great attention to children's stunting, emphasising the vital importance of preventative caring.

Parenting and caregiving programs are protecting fetal/child development, focusing on nutrition, disease-prevention and alleviating stress,

A table showing the decline in the number and percentage of stunted children under 5 in low/middle income countries from 1990 to 2011. In 1990: 253 million (40%), 2005: 178 million (32%), 2011: 165 million (26%). Undernutrition affects cognitive and physical ability.

WHO's Preconception Care is maximizing the gains for mother and child health preventing stunting, prematurity and low birthweight.
4 out of 10 women report that their pregnancies are unplanned. WHO is raising awareness so that more conceptions, even unintentional will be by healthy parents.[112]
To see health optimisation from the beginning of each life as first priority is truly encouraging, particularly through:
   - Adolescent preconception nutrition
   - Agriculture and food security
   - Social safety nets [111]

Image promoting the WHO report on preconception care, featuring a smiling woman wearing a headwrap and a separate section highlighting preventive and curative maternal and child health interventions. Text emphasizes the role of non-health organizations.

"Conception-education of children & adolescents is now foreseen". And strongly promoted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) [90]

Preconception & Pregnancy Care (PPC) Lifecycle's most vulnerable phase is PRECONCEPTION. Society throughout the lifecycle needs to keep this in mind in relation to forming partnerships

Painting by Marc Chagall: 'The Birthday'. Depicts Chagall himself, levitating above his beloved wife, Bella. He twists his body backwards to kiss her, a gesture of passionate affection. Bella, holding a bouquet of flowers, is also floating, seemingly caught off guard by her husband's playful surprise. The couple is set against a brightly colored backdrop of a living room, with a red carpet dominating the scene.

Infancy & Pre-school care
PPC learning in School & adolescence

Infancy, Pre-school

School & adolescence
"Pre-pregnancy education should be long before anticipating pregnancy, by those who look after young people in schools"

Pioneer - Geoffrey Chamberlain MD, FRCS, FRCOG - 1986 [37]

"The school curriculum is a key vehicle to support better preconception care: relationships, sexual health, and preparation for parenthood"

Secondary School guidance teachers and youth workers have the most opportunity to work with young people prior to conception

Photo of a group of smiling teenagers in a school library. A teacher, with open book, looking at them and laughing. The teens wear pastel colours, jeans and seem to be enjoying themselves.

World Health Organization 2012
PPC revision in Reproductive years
Grandparental encouragement
in Preconception & Pregnancy Care (PPC)
Preconception, Pregnancy,

Photo of young couple in the sea. The man is standing in the surf, looking up and smiling while a smiling woman, possibly with eyes closed, is sitting in his arms being carried by him above the water. Their hair is wet, they wear swimsuits. Behind them a distant wave crests.

Schools + NHS + Church in Lanarkshire
coordinate
preconception care & awareness-raising
including
social media and mobiles

Extending sex-education to conception-education would reach everyone in good time. If left until conception is intended (Van Dijk 2016), [71] income- and home-finding are too distracting for such attention. And so many conceptions are unintended. Even in 1986 the renowned pioneer said

"Pre-pregnancy education' should be long before anticipation of pregnancy,
by those who look after young people in schools".

(Geoffrey Chamberlain MD, FRCS, FRCOG 1986). [37]

Map of Scotland with Lanarkshire picked out in red, Glasgow shown as black dot.

Text describing UK existing regional programs for fertility and preconception care with locations and focuses listed, such as Southampton University Hospital's preconception care and Imperial College London's counselling. Additional locations include Bristol, Lanarkshire, and Derby.

Developmental disorders, crime, and heavy costs, reducible by preconception care

Reduction of disorders of even a few percent would save in the UK some millions of offspring, and some £ billions pa. The UK Peace Index (UKPI) [73] rated crime at £124billion in 2010 for England and Wales.

The question is 'Can we afford NOT to implement such preconception programs?' We have only to see the UK figures.

'UK Brain Disorders 2010': lists various brain disorders and their costs in billion pounds, totaling £104 billion. Another section titled 'Additional developmental disorders' lists costs for correlated and non-direct brain disorders, totaling £247 billion. The grand total is £351 billion.

* Fineberg excludes cerebral palsy & Knapp's autism figure. References in next Table.

Prevalence and cost of UK's mental and other problems reducible by preconception care

Shows various health problems, their prevalence (in thousands), associated cost (in billion dollars), and reference numbers. Problems include preterm neonatal, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, communication disorders, NEETs, crime, other brain disorders, and metabolic syndrome.

This total £351bn is over 17.5% of our Gross National Product (£2 Trillion)
Preconception care could substantially reduce this huge cost, protecting the health of millions.
Only 1/3rd of this cost is the official cost of UK brain disorders £113 billion (2010).

Taking a wider view - in 2010

Europe's Brain Disorders cost 800€billion. The indirect costs of preventable disorders and indirect effects could, like ours, have been some 3 times this amount. [88]

World costs, with wider variations, would not necessarily be so much more than the rated $2.5 trillion but are forecast to by 2030 to be
$6 trillion. [89]

Costs of brain disorders: Europe EUR 2 billion, Global $2.5 trillion

The World Health Organisation's agenda features their attractive preconception care leaflet. [90]

The International Society for the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD)[91] is associated with WHO, Their Mobile Health Platform [92] helps to implement preconception care, locally and globally, approaching couples wishing to have children. [71] Success is yet partial, but at this stage the young tend to be distracted by home- and job-seeking. Extending sex-education to conception-education seems more promising.

Photo of smiling Afro-Caribbean woman, possibly carrying something on her head, but that is cropped out.

WHO promotional image for preconceptional care to reduce childhood mortality and morbidity

ACTION
A healthy, able and happy generation will only come from women and men who have been brought up healthy,

"Fish is good for the brain" - an age-old saying but in 1972 Professor Michael Crawford showed us the molecule that matters most - omega-3 DHA - short for docosahexaenoic acid.
DHA, a chain of 22 carbon atoms, has 6 double-bonds giving it unique electronic and photo-electric properties. The landmark research won Michael Crawford the Alexander Leaf Award. DHA, in the oceans' algae and seaweeds for 2 billion years, is essential to cell membranes, and now especially to brain and retina.

Photo of a school of mackerl swimming in the sea — Pinterest.com

Professor Michael A Crawford, PhD, FRSB, FRCPath, Imperial College, London
Director The Institute of Brain Chemistry & Human Nutrition & The Mother and Child Foundation
http://www.themotherandchildfoundation.org/how-eat-well-before-pregnancy/ Vital work you can donate to

Awards include:
   ~ Order of the Rising Sun, 2015, Tokyo
   ~ Chevreul Medal, 2015, Paris
   ~ Alexander Leaf Distinguished Scientist Award 2016
    for Lifetime Achievement, ISSFAL, Stellenbosch
   ~ Global Award for Research 2018, Omega 3 and
    Neuroscience, Much Love Foundation, China.

Photo of Michael Crawford next to a photo of the Order of the Rising Sun. He is late middle-aged, a friendly smile on his face, wearing a shirt and tie. He has white hair. — Michael Crawford Order Rising Sun - Borodun CC BY-SA

From great kelp forests to micro-algae with their omega-3 DHA, plus iodine, selenium, zinc, copper and manganese, all are essential to brain development and function. Consumed by fish, and in fish, around the world, these are our main brain-food.

DHA is important,to every cell in the body, especially to brain, retina and heart. Fish, and shellfish, their habitats and foods must be regenerated.

A photo of seaweed underwater. A brightly coloured crap clings to one frond. Sunlight falls from the surface and makes you wish you were a fish. Or maybe a shark. I'd like to be a shark, myself. — Kelp

Brain-food resources seriously threatened - in 1990 Crawford sparked Japan's planting of seaweeds and corals, with reefs for habitats and structures to divert pollution flow, winning him Japan's Order of the Rising Sun.

China, the Philippines, Oman, and others have followed his sea-bed agriculture, essential to human and planetary well-being.

Picrure depcting the anatomy of algae next to a picture of fish swimming next to what appears to be a coral basket. — Smithsonian Ocean Institution

Bluegreen algae like trees photosynthesise carbon dioxide into oxygen, reducing global warming.

Regeneration of fish habitats and algae should be happening globally, with inland waters too.

Photo of a pond lily in bloom among algae on the surface of the water. — Algae around waterlily

Micro-algae, such as spirulina and chlorella, are a source of DHA, so essential to fish, as well s ourselves..

Closeup photo of spirulina — steemit.com/superfood/@vitaminoza/superfoods-spirulina

Seagrass is needed for fish to graze, just as grass for cows to graze.

Photo of seagrass next to a pciture of its anatomy — Seagrass Smithsonian Ocean Institution

DHA's control of electron flow seems due to exceptional closeness of the double-bonds. Still at the cutting-edge in this field
Michael Crawford's Chevreul Medal is on the quantum qualities of DHA and its π-electrons effect,
This presents the closest understanding yet of brain functions: how we sense the outside world, how we remember and act, even how we are conscious at all.. [94]

Such understanding is crucial against today's major threats to the human brain.

Diagram of electrons — Crawford et al 2008 chem.ucla.edu

Two pictures of pi-electrons next to each other — www.ocl-journal.org

On land as well as at sea we have to evolve our practices beyond current intensive farming methods. We have to safeguard both nutritional content and our environment.

Global food choices better for our health and the planet's are vital for our survival, to reduce climate change and meet nutritional needs.

Wide-angle photo from a high angle: a large number of combine harvesters under a forbidding skyline reaping a vast field of wheat. They run in a vee-formation. They are threatening-looking. — Intensive farming Evan Raffi

Farming less intensively, more in keeping with our evolutionary variety, will benefit us, reducing dangers to children conceived.

Photo of thousands of battery hens crammed into a vast coop. — http://www.herald.co.zw/

3 Books
Nutrition & Evolution, by Professor Michael Crawford & David Marsh, clarifies our evolution from the earliest, through eons enjoying sea and land's combined nutrition for our amazing brain,
The book warns how modern food choices imperil our health, most seriously our brain, yet also shows how we can regenerate resources and health.

Pictures of Michael Crawford and David Mash. Marsh, bespectacled, late middle-aged with white hair and wearing a jumper over his shirt and tie as well as a thin scarf. He smiles while looking away from the camera, perhaps talking to a journalist outside a lecture hall.

Nutrition and Science,
a Darwinian Perspective
by Dr John Nichols, is a scholarly detailed book, including his 1990s
preconception clinic in General Practice.

The Unborn Child by Roy Ridgway and Simon House shows that conception free from nutritional or emotional stress can benefit a person's entire life.

This is the website of Simon House.

Pictures of John Nichols and Simon House. Nichols middle-aged, smiling in shirt and tie. Simon House, elderly with white hair but quite a lot of it, wears a zip-up jumper over a tieless shirt. He has what seems to be a sticking plaster over his right temple. Both men wear glasses.

All these books show how our evolution continues to be affected by our environment, particularly diet and lifestyle. Effects are now as dangerous as changes are rapid.
So we have to do all we can to communicate this science, for world peace, prosperity and creativity.

CONCLUDING

Outcry against air pollution - alarm at traffic fumes stunting children's lungs and brains. Yet even earlier, in the womb, or even before conception, poor conditions can cause more serious damage, leaving both cognitive and emotional brains stunted.

Most children seriously affected are in our shamingly deprived areas. We cannot as a society afford to have such areas, damaging our children, our gene-pool, in degenerative evolution. The economic folly of policies allowing such disadvantage are made clear in financial costings above,

Much damage is preventable as explained . To prosper, any society must sustain and safeguard all its members. Our voices have to shout loud, for public action for government action, to achieve comprehensive welfare. The young especially need to understand how they as partners can protect their children in advance of conception.

Photo of a red-headed girl wearing a duffel coat standing by a town street full of cars.

Two young children at kitchen table, eating and drinking. The girl, bunches in her hair, slightly older, looks at the boy (perhaps her younger brother) and smiles. — Eat-Better-Start-Better

Sure Start and others have wonderfully redirected toddler’s lives. But damage begins earlier, and is largely preventable. Every woman, man and child needs to know the best chance of giving children the best possible beginning in life.
Is that what you wish?
We wish you the very best outcome!
Every boy and every girl, before leaving school, needs to understand how people need to prepare for having healthy and able children, Never again will they have such a chance to learn, and prepare..

The World Health Organisation says we must invest in healthy and able future generations, the lives of billions of people and families. So people will be healthier, happier and more creative.

Artistic picture of two children at play in a cartoon landscape. One jumps over an apple, the other hangs from a tree that looks like it might be brocolli. — Eat-Better-Start-Better

This website is set up by Ben House & Callum House-Davies
for Simon H House MA Cantab, Natural Sciences & Theology

Publications by Simon House include:
Transgenerational healing: Educating children in genesis of healthy children, with focus on nutrition, emotion, and epigenetic effects on brain development, 2014 Nutrition & Health 22.1
Epigenetics in Adaptive Evolution and Development, in Handbook of Epigenetics 2011, Tollefsbol. Also 2014 Nutrition & Health 23.1
Nurture of the brain, nutritional and emotional, in the lifecycle. 2009 Int J Pre- Perinatal Psych & Med
Schoolchildren, maternal nutrition and generating healthy brains. 2009 Nutrition & Health 20.1
The Unborn Child - Beginning a Whole Life and Overcoming Problems of Early Origin. 2006 R Ridgway & SH House. Karnac Books
Stages in reproduction particularly vulnerable to xenobiotic hazards and nutritional deficits. In Generating Healthy People. 2000 Nutr & Health 14.3
Primal Integration Therapy - Frank Lake MRC Psych, DPM, 1999 Int J Pre- Perinatal Psych & Med
Ed. Generating Healthy Brains, articles of conference 17 Jan 2006. 2007 Nutrition and Health 19.1-2

Societies
Mother & Child Foundation - www.themotherandchildfoundation.org
Inst of Brain Chemistry & Human Nutrition - www.ibchn.org.uk
McCarrison Society for Nutrition & Health - www.mccarrisonsociety.org.uk
Royal Soc of Med - Food & Health Council - www.rsm.ac.uk
Assoc for Prenatal & Perinatal Psychology & Health - N. America - www.birthpsychology.com
Child Health International - www.childhealthinternational.org

Nutrient correlations with birthweight, supple-mentation comparisons and recommended levels .

Interest in folate fortification can be advised by Czeizel's results, showing a fraction of folate B9 content of the 7 Countries study to be at least as effective with stronger support from other vitamins, notably B12.

Foresight's high performance is notable for analysis of each partner's hair and blood, assessment of lifestyle and hidden infections.

A detailed table compares various vitamins, minerals, birthweight correlations, and essential fatty acids across multiple studies and countries, including the UK, France, USA, and others. Highlighted values in yellow indicate notable results. Abbreviations and numerical data are present.

Image showing a table containing correlations with birth abnormalities, references, and a column labeled 'head.' The notes discuss daily supplements, research influenced by Foresight, and names of researchers and studies with publication details.

Prisoners' mental problems are understandably more prevalent than the general level. But these are problems mainly from earlier life, likely to contribute to offending rather than purely result from imprisonment. Many problems of IQ are found, of learning and communication; of early behavioural records and mental diagnoses.

'Prisoners' Earlier Problems': lists percentages of prisoners and the UK general population with specific issues, and their relative risk. It covers learning & communication, mental diagnosis, and behavioral records, highlighting significant disparities.

The relative risks carried by inmates earlier in life ranged from 6 to 28 times the general level.

'References to Prisoners' Earlier Problems and Risks' with 12 sources cited. The list includes authors' names, publication titles, sources, and dates, covering topics like learning difficulties, literacy, and educational challenges for prisoners.

More references related to mental health, crime, and child safety. The references include various studies, official reports, and publications from 1995 to 2017, authored by different researchers and institutions. Each reference is numbered from 13 to 27.

References main - Tables References just above

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Foundation Years, Sure Start. https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/eat-better-start-better/
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Sharma Upasna 1,*, Colin C. Conine1,*, Jeremy M. Shea1, Ana Boskovic1, Alan G. Derr2,3, Xin Y. Bing1, Clemence Belleannee4, Alper Kucukural2,3, Ryan W. Serra1, Fengyun Sun1, Lina Song1, Benjamin R. Carone1, Emiliano P. Ricci5,†, Xin Z. Li1,5,‡, Lucas Fauquier1, Melissa J. Moore1,5,6, Robert Sullivan4, Craig C. Mello2,5,6, Manuel Garber2,3, Oliver J. Rando1,(2016). Biogenesis and function of tRNA fragments during sperm maturation and fertilization in mammals. Science 351, 6271, pp. 391-396. DOI: 10.1126/science.aad6780
Chen Qi 1,3,*,†, Menghong Yan2,†, Zhonghong Cao1,5,†, Xin Li1,†, Yunfang Zhang1,5,†, Junchao Shi1,5,†, Gui-hai Feng1, Hongying Peng1,4, Xudong Zhang1,5, Ying Zhang1, Jingjing Qian1,5, Enkui Duan1,*, Qiwei Zhai2,*, Qi Zhou1,* (2016) Sperm tsRNAs contribute to intergenerational inheritance of an acquired metabolic disorder. Science22: 351, 6271, pp. 397-400 DOI: 10.1126/science.aad7977
House SH (2011) Epigenetics in Adaptive Evolution and Development: the interplay between evolving species and epigenetic mechanisms. In Trygve Tollefsbol, editors: Handbook of Epigenetics:The New Molecular and Medical Genetics. Oxford:Academic Press,2011, pp. 425-445. http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/bookdescription.apacregion/723526/description#description
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Hibbeln JR, Davis JM, Steer C, Emmett P, Rogers I, Williams C, Golding J (2007) Maternal seafood consumption in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood (ALSPAC study): an observational cohort study. Lancet; 369: 578–85. 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60277-3
Ogundipe E1, Johnson MR2, Wang Y3, Crawford MA4. (2016). Peri-conception maternal lipid profiles predict pregnancy outcomes. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids.114:35-43. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2016.08.012.
Bax M1, Tydeman C, Flodmark O. (2006) Clinical and MRI correlates of cerebral palsy: the European CerebralPalsy Study. JAMA. 4;296(13):1602-8.
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Hibbeln JR, Davis JM, Steer C, Emmett P, Rogers I, Williams C, Golding J (2007) Maternal seafood consumption in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood (ALSPAC study): an observational cohort study. Lancet; 369: 578-85. 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60277-3
Ogundipe E1, Johnson MR2, Wang Y3, Crawford MA4. (2016). Peri-conception maternal lipid profiles predict pregnancy outcomes. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids.114:35-43. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2016.08.012.
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