A rat study suggests that taking a nutrient called choline during pregnancy could "super-charge" children's brains for life. This study is the first time anyone has shown that prenatal choline supplementation actually changes the anatomy and physiology of single brain cells, and no adverse effects could be seen in the rats. The team does not know exactly how choline boosts brains, but it is known to contribute to the building of cell membranes during the embryo stage of development.
The implications of the study's findings are "potentially huge." If it turns out that it's true in humans and can make people smarter their whole lives and forestall age-related memory decline--that's potentially a very exciting prospect. One of the simple things pregnant women can do immediately is to start eating eggs as they are very high in natural choline. It would be even better if the eggs were raw as the nutrients are much less damaged and the risk of salmonella in healthy eggs is very low. In fact you would have a better chance at winning the lottery than catching salmonella from a healthy chicken.
Please also remember the omega-3 fat, especially from clean cod liver oil is another very powerful food nearly every single pregnant woman needs to be on. It will dramatically reduce the risk of preeclampsia, a dangerous side effect of pregnancy, and virtually eliminate the risk of premature delivery. And, like choline, it will also dramatically increase the intelligence of your child.
Journal of Neurophysiology April 2004;91(4):1545-55