Nutrients that You Need During Pregnancy

Nutrition is an important discussion for pregnant women. Sufficient nutritional intake ensures that you are able to adequately support your baby's growth, and provide enough supply for your own body. Deficiency in any of the essential nutrients during pregnancy can affect the mother's health and lead to the foetus being underdeveloped.

Many of the nutrients you require during pregnancy can come from eating a healthy, balanced diet. This includes a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy products and grain. If you have an adequate variety of healthy choices, it is easier to get the right amount of vitamins and macronutrients, such as protein, carbohydrates and fats.

300 to 450 Calories for More Energy

Weight gain is expected during pregnancy, as you will need to increase your calories. It is a common misconception; however, that you should eat for two, as the growing child is not equivalent to one adult. For a healthy weight gain during pregnancy and to support the utilisation of fats and protein, you may be required by your doctor to add 300 to 450 calories to your daily diet, but this can vary depending on your base weight. The increase in calorie intake may also continue, in varying amounts, when you begin breastfeeding.

How Much Iron?

Another important component for optimal foetal development is iron, which is necessary for the baby's rapid growth and helps manage blood loss during childbirth. The mother's low-iron intake can result in preterm delivery and can affect the motor function of your child, especially during the infant years.

Your doctor will help you determine how much iron you need to add to your daily intake, but generally, an extra 3.3 mg of iron is needed for the second trimester and 5 mg for the third trimester.

Dietary sources of iron include lentils, white beans, soybeans and spinach. Pregnant women are also advised to get their iron from lean meat, fish and protein because it is easier for the body to absorb iron from these sources.

1000 mg Calcium Daily

Calcium plays a major role during pregnancy, as your baby needs it for the development of his bones and vital organs. A large portion of your calcium deposits are found in your own bones and teeth, and if you don't have enough calcium for your baby's bone growth, it will be taken from the stored calcium in your body. As a result, this can make you vulnerable to having weak bones, which can have long-term effects.

The recommended calcium intake for pregnant women is 1000 mg per day, which is also the same for non-pregnant women. Although there is no significant increase to the recommended value, it is highly advised that pregnant women should make sure that they are getting the required amount on a daily basis.

Folic Acid Even Before Pregnancy

Neural tube defect, otherwise referred to as NTD, is a defect in newborns that affect their brain or spinal cord. Although this condition has no known cause, it has been found that sufficient folic intake reduces the incidence of NTD.

However, it is important to remember that aside from the amount of folic acid, the time of intake also matters. For folic acid to have an impact on your baby's development, you should already have sufficient intake even before conceiving. Ideally, a woman planning to get pregnant should be getting 0.4 mg to 4 mg of daily folic acid three months before pregnancy until the first trimester. However, since not all pregnancies are planned, it is recommended that women of childbearing age should ensure they have sufficient folic acid intake.

Other Essential Nutrients Before and During Pregnancy

Nutrient	Mother		Child
	Role	Adverse effects of insufficient intake	Role	Adverse effects of insufficient intake
Vitamin D	Helps in the absorption of calcium which is important for optimum bone health	Increased risk of osteomalacia, or softening of the bones	Aids in the bone growth of the developing baby	Bone development issues, rickets
Iodine	Regulation of thyroid hormones	Hypothyroidism	Assists in the cognitive development	Can lead to neurological disorders
Omega-3 DHA	Important for the increase in the maternal blood and breast milk	Risk of preterm delivery	Necessary for the brain, nerve and visual development and overall foetal growth	Risk of developing disorders in the central nervous system

Sources: Ostelin and Nutrition in Pregnancy and Lactation

Prenatal Vitamins and Supplements

One question commonly asked by women is whether it is necessary for them to take prenatal vitamins during pregnancy or just rely on their diet for all the nutrients they need.

While it is true that food sources can provide for most of your needs, there are instances when dietary sources are just not enough and you will need to get your required nutrients through other means. This is where prenatal vitamins and supplements come in. These types of supplements are specifically made to meet the daily nutritional requirements of a pregnant woman, so she may sup port her health and her baby's needs.

Most prenatal supplements contain several nutrients, like an all-in-one pregnancy supplement, while others provide only a specific vitamin or mineral. When considering taking prenatal vitamins, make sure talk to your doctor about appropriate supplementation during pregnancy and other health concerns.