Pregnancy and Nutrition
Source: MedlinePlus Health Topics, U.S. National Library of Medicine
What is nutrition, and why is it important during pregnancy? Nutrition is about eating a healthy and balanced diet so your body gets the nutrients that it needs. Nutrients are substances in foods that our bodies need so they can function and grow. They include carbohydrates , fats , proteins , vitamins , minerals , and water. When you're pregnant , nutrition is more important than ever. You need more of many important nutrients than you did before pregnancy. Making healthy food choices every day will help you give your baby what they need to develop . It will also help make sure that you and your baby gain a healthy amount of weight. Do I have any special nutritional needs now that I am pregnant? You need more folic acid, iron, calcium, and vitamin D than you did before pregnancy: Folic acid is a B vitamin that may help prevent neural tube defects . Before pregnancy, you need 400 mcg (micrograms) per day. During pregnancy and when breastfeeding, you need 600 mcg per day from foods and/or vitamins. It is hard to get this amount from foods alone, so you will most likely need to take a supplement that contains folic acid. Iron is important for your baby's growth and brain development. During pregnancy, the amount of blood in your body increases, so you need more iron for yourself and your growing baby. You should get 27 mg (milligrams) of iron a day. Calcium during pregnancy can reduce your risk of preeclampsia . It's a serious medical condition that causes a sudden increase in your blood pressure. Calcium also builds up your baby's bones and teeth. Pregnant adults should get 1,000 mg (milligrams) of calcium a day Pregnant teenagers (ages 14-18) need 1,300 mg of calcium a day Vitamin D helps the calcium to build your baby's bones and teeth. All women, pregnant or not, should be getting 600 IU (international units) of vitamin D per day. Keep in mind that taking too much of a supplement can be harmful. For example, very high levels of vitamin A can cause birth defects .