Most pregnant women in the U.S. aren't meeting dietary recommendations, especially in rural communities.

The federal government’s message in its new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released in January 2026, couldn’t be simpler: “Eat real food.”

But for pregnant women in rural America, that straightforward advice runs headlong into a harsh reality: Rural women have less access to healthy whole foods.

Originally published on theconversation.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.