Nutritions for Pregnant Women124331241141

Nutrition for Pregnant Women

1. Nutrition for Pregnant Women

2. The period from conception to birth. After the egg is fertilized by a sperm and then implanted in the lining of the uterus, it develops into the placenta and embryo, and later into a fetus. Pregnancy usually lasts 40 weeks, beginning from the first day of the woman's last menstrual period, and is divided into three trimesters, each lasting three months. Introduction

3. Eating well is one of the best things you can do during pregnancy. Good nutrition helps you handle the extra demands on your body as your pregnancy progresses. The goal is to balance getting enough nutrients to support the growth of your fetus and maintaining a healthy weight. Why is nutrition during pregnancy important?

4. FoLate This B vitamin is essential, as it can help prevent neural tube defects and serious abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord. Leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits and dried beans and peas are great sources. The synthetic form of folate found in supplements and fortified foods is known as folic acid. Folic acid supplementation has also been shown to decrease the risk of your baby arriving preterm. Nutritional Needs During Pregnancy

5. Protein It is crucial for baby's growth. It helps to build important organs in the baby, such as the brain and heart. Lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dried beans and peas, tofu, dairy products and good-quality peanut butter are all great sources of protein. Nutritional Needs During Pregnancy

6. Calcium & vitamin D Calcium needed for strong bones and teeth also help body’s circulatory, muscular and nervous systems run at their peak. Good sources of calcium are dairy products, with milk, yogourt , cheese, and calcium or vitamin d-fortified juices and foods, sardines or salmon with bones. If not eat dairy, then can up the intake of calcium with broccoli and kale. If a pregnant woman does not consume enough calcium, the mineral will be drawn from the mother's stores in her bones and given to the baby to meet the extra demands of pregnancy. Nutritional Needs During Pregnancy

7. Iron Pregnant women require 27 milligrams of iron daily, twice the amount of non-pregnant women, to produce hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells. Insufficient iron intake can lead to anemia, fatigue, and increased infection risk. ACOG recommends incorporating vitamin C with iron-rich foods, such as orange juice and iron-fortified cereal. Nutritional Needs During Pregnancy

8. Zinc is an essential nutrient throughout all stages of pregnancy. found in lamb, beef, crabmeat, fortified cereals, nuts and beans . it helps your baby's cells to grow and replicate. Without adequate zinc intake, you might actually be risking miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy. It's advised to have between 12 and 15 milligrams of zinc per day during pregnancy. Nutritional Needs During Pregnancy

9. Iodine Iodine is a necessary element for the production of thyroid hormones. Women need more iodine than usual during pregnancy, because when woman’s bodies are busy growing humans, woman’s maternal thyroid hormone production increases by about 50 per cent. According to the World Health Organization, severe iodine deficiency is "associated with poor obstetric outcomes, including spontaneous abortion, prematurity and stillbirth." Nutritional Needs During Pregnancy

10. DHA (omega 3-fatty acids) An omega-3 fatty acid helps baby's brain development Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that consumed during pregnancy can actually help provide your baby with a better attention span and a greater capacity to learn. Getting DHA can be as simple as adding more fish . Health Canada recommends "at least 150g of cooked fish each week" or omega-3-fortified eggs to your diet. Nutritional Needs During Pregnancy