Special Dietary Considerations During Pregnancy

As a pregnant woman, you need more nutrients to help your baby grow and be healthy.

Multi-Vitamins

The nutritional requirements for pregnant women vary based on individual needs. Discuss whether you need to take a multi-vitamin with your doctor.

Iron Supplements

Iron is needed in larger doses, especially in the later stages of pregnancy. This mineral is essential to the formation of healthy red blood cells. It is difficult for a woman to consume enough of it from foods to maintain an adequate supply from the mother, often leaving her anemic and exhausted. Anemia can make the mother less able to fight off infections and unable to handle hemorrhaging during the birth. An iron supplement can alleviate this condition, but first discuss whether you need additional iron with your doctor.

Folic Acid

Pregnancy doubles a woman’s need for folate (folic acid or folacin). Folic acid has been shown to be important in preventing neural tube defects, such as spina bifida and anencephaly and is essential to the formation of red blood cells. Severe folate deficiency can result in a condition called megaloblastic anemia, which occurs most often in the last trimester of pregnancy. In this condition, the mother’s heart, liver and spleen may become enlarged which and can threaten the life of the fetus. Folic acid can be found in many foods, including kidney beans, leafy green vegetables, peas, and liver. Women in their childbearing years should consume plenty of these foods. In fact, folate is so important to the health of women and their babies that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently required the addition of folic acid to prepackaged bread and cereals.

However, there is not universal agreement on the necessity of folate supplements for all pregnant women. Some doctors prescribe the supplements primarily for pregnant women who are smokers, drug users, alcohol drinkers or strict vegetarians. While research continues, your doctor will continue to recommend supplements based on your individual health profile.

Calcium

Pregnant and lactating adult women require an additional 40% of calcium a day (1200-1500 mg per day). Almost all of the extra calcium goes into the baby's developing bones. To get this extra calcium, 3 extra servings (3 cups) of milk or dairy products are needed. If you are lactose intolerant, you can still get this extra calcium. There are several low-lactose or reduced-lactose products available. In some cases, your doctor might even prescribe a calcium supplement.

Sodium

This is important during pregnancy. 2,000 to 8,000 milligrams of sodium a day is recommended during pregnancy. There are 2,325 milligrams of sodium in one teaspoon of salt, and because salt is in most foods, the increased need for it during pregnancy is not too difficult to achieve. Sodium helps to regulate the water in the body.

Fluids

Drink plenty of fluids, especially water, during pregnancy. A woman's blood volume increases dramatically during pregnancy. Drinking at least eight glasses of water a day can help prevent common problems such as dehydration and constipation.

To find out what other nutrients are important during pregnancy and how much you need, ask your healthcare provider any questions you may have.