Question

1. What simple, general statement can be made about the nutritional needs during pregnancy compared to the nutritional needs of the non-pregnant woman?
2. What is the recommended total weight gain during pregnancy for women with a normal pre-pregnancy weight? What is the rationale behind this recommendation?
3. What is the recommendation for exercise for pregnant women?

Answer 1

1)Micronutrients are dietary components, such as vitamins and minerals, that are only required in relatively small amounts.

Macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories, or energy. We’re talking carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. You’ll need to eat more of each type of nutrient during pregnancy.

Here are some general guidelines on a few important nutrients that will need to be adjusted based on your needs:

Nutrient	Daily requirements for pregnant women
calcium	1200 milligrams (mg)
folate	600–800 micrograms (mcg)
iron	27 mg
protein	70–100 grams (g) per day, increasing each trimester

Most pregnant people can meet these increased nutritional needs by choosing a diet that includes a variety of healthy foods such as:

• protein
• complex carbohydrates
• healthy types of fat like omega-3s
• vitamins and minerals

What and how much to eat

Your goal? Eat a wide variety of foods to provide everything you and your baby needs. It’s not that different from a regular healthy eating plan — just amplified a bit.

In fact, current guidanceTrusted Source is to continue to eat as you normally would in your first semester, then increase 350 calories daily in your second trimester and 450 calories daily in your third trimester as your baby grows.

As often as you can, avoid overly processed junk foods. Chips and soda, for example, contain no nutritional value. You and your baby will benefit more from fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, such as chicken, fish, beans, or lentils.

This doesn’t mean that you need to avoid all of your favorite foods during pregnancy. Just balance them with nutritious foods so that you don’t miss any important vitamins or minerals.

Protein

Protein is critical for ensuring the proper growth of baby’s tissues and organs, including the brain. It also helps with breast and uterine tissue growth during pregnancy.

It even plays a role in your increasing blood supply, allowing more blood to be sent to your baby.

Your protein needs increase during each trimester of pregnancy. Research suggestsTrusted Source that protein intake during pregnancy should be even higher than some current recommendations. It’s time to ramp up those shrimp fajitas, pork curries, jerk chicken, and salmon teriyaki.

You’ll need to eat about 70 to 100 gTrusted Sourceof protein a day, depending on your weight and which trimester you’re in. Talk to your doctor to see how much you specifically need.

Good sources of protein include:

• lean beef and pork
• chicken
• salmon
• nuts
• peanut butter
• cottage cheese
• beans

Calcium

Calcium helps build your baby’s bones and regulates your body’s use of fluids. It does a body good, right?

Pregnant women need 1,000 mg of calciumTrusted Source, ideally in two doses of 500 mg, per day. You’ll likely need additional calcium to supplement regular prenatal vitamins.

Good sources of calcium include:

• milk
• yogurt
• cheese
• low-mercury fish and seafood, such as salmon, shrimp, catfish, and canned light tuna
• calcium-set tofu
• dark green, leafy vegetables

Folate

Folate, also known as folic acid, plays an important part in reducing the risk of neural tube defects. These are major birth defects that affect the baby’s brain and spinal cord, such as spina bifida and anencephaly.

When you’re pregnant, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) recommends 600 to 800 mcg of folate. You can get folate from these foods:

• liver
• nuts
• dried beans and lentils
• eggs
• nuts and peanut butter
• dark green, leafy vegetables

Iron

Iron works with sodium, potassium, and water to increase blood flow. This helps ensure that enough oxygen is supplied to both you and your baby.

You should be getting 27 mg of iron per day, preferably alongside some vitamin C to increase absorption. Good sources of this nutrient include:

• dark green, leafy vegetables (noticing a trend with this one?)
• citrus fruits
• enriched breads or cereals
• lean beef and poultry
• eggs

Other considerations

Other nutrients are necessary to keep you thriving during your pregnancy like choline, salt, and B vitamins.

Aside from eating well, it’s important to drink at least eight glasses of water each day and to take prenatal vitamins. It’s difficult to obtain sufficient amounts of certain nutrients, including folate, iron, and choline, from food alone.

Make sure to speak with your doctor about which prenatal vitamins you should take

2)

Weight Gain Recommendations For Women Pregnant With One Baby

If before pregnancy, you were…	You should gain…
Underweight BMI less than 18.5	28-40 pounds
Normal Weight BMI 18.5-24.9	25-35 pounds
Overweight BMI 25.0-29.9	15-25 pounds
Obese BMI greater than or equal to 30.0	11- 20 pounds

Weight Gain Recommendations For Women Pregnant With Twins

If before pregnancy, you were…	You should gain…
Underweight BMI less than 18.5	50-62 pounds*
Normal Weight BMI 18.5-24.9	37-54 pounds
Overweight BMI 25.0-29.9	31-50 pounds
Obese BMI greater than or equal to 30.0	25-42 pounds

Gaining less than the recommended amount of weight in pregnancy is associated with delivering a baby who is too small. Some babies born too small may have difficulty starting breastfeeding, may be at increased risk for illness, and may experience developmental delays (not meeting the milestones for his or her age).

Gaining more than the recommended amount of weight in pregnancy is associated with having a baby who is born too large, which can lead to delivery complications, cesarean delivery, and obesity during childhood. Gaining more than the recommended amount of weight can also increase the amount of weight you hold on to after pregnancy, which can lead to obesity.

3)

• Work with your health care provider on your weight gain goals at the beginning and regularly throughout your pregnancy.
• Track your pregnancy weight gain at the beginning and regularly throughout pregnancy and compare your progress to recommended ranges of healthy weight gain.
• Eat a balanced diet high in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, low fat dairy, and lean protein. Use the MyPlate daily checklistexternal icon to see the daily food group targets that are right for you at your stage of pregnancy. Most foods are safe to eat during pregnancy, but you will need to use caution with or avoid certain foods. Talk with your health care provider or visit Checklist of Foods to Avoid During Pregnancyexternal icon for more information about food safety in pregnancy.
• Limit added sugars and solid fats found in foods like soft drinks, desserts, fried foods, whole milk, and fatty meats.
• Know your calorie needs. In general, the first trimester (or first three months) does not require any extra calories. Typically, women need about 340 additional calories per day during the second trimester (second three months) and about 450 additional calories per day during the third (last) trimester.
• Work up to or maintain at least 150 minutes (2 ⅟₂ hours) of moderate intensity aerobic activity (such as brisk walking) per week. 150 minutes may sound overwhelming, but you can achieve your goal by breaking up your physical activity into 10 minutes at a time. Physical activity is healthy and safe for most pregnant women. Talk to your health care provider to determine if you have any physical activity restrictions.

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