Diet in
Pregnancy
Optimum Nutrition is of great
importance for women, due to the special nutritional needs associated
with psychological changes such as menstruation, pregnancy,
lactation and menopause.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a period of great
psychological stress for the woman as she is nurturing a growing foetus
in her body. Foetal development is accompanied by many physiological,
biochemical and hormonal changes occurring in the maternal body which
influence the needs for nutrients and the efficiency with which the body
uses them. These changes include
- Increases basal metabolic rate
- Gastrointestinal changes
- Hormonal changes
- Changes in the body fluid
- Altered renal function
Foetal growth and maternal weight
gains at different ages in gestation
| Age
(Weeks) |
Total
foetal weight (g) |
Maternal
weight gain (g) |
| 10 |
5 |
650 |
| 12 |
30 |
|
| 20 |
300 |
4000 |
| 24 |
900 |
|
| 28 |
1240 |
|
| 30 |
1484 |
8500 |
| 32 |
1750 |
|
| 34 |
2278 |
|
| 36 |
2750 |
|
| 38 |
3052 |
|
| 40 |
3230 |
12500 |
| 42 |
3310 |
|
Analysis of weight gain in Pregnancy
| |
Period
of Gestation |
| |
Upto
10 weeks
(g) |
Upto
20 weeks
(g) |
Upto
30 weeks
(g) |
Upto
40 weeks
(g) |
| Foetus
& Placenta |
55 |
720 |
2350 |
4750 |
| Uterus
& Breast tissue |
170 |
765 |
1170 |
1300 |
| 100 |
600 |
1300 |
1350 |
|
| Extracellular
weight |
- |
- |
- |
1200 |
| Fat |
325 |
1915 |
3500 |
400 |
| Total |
650 |
4000 |
8500 |
12600 |
Nutritional Risk Factors in Pregnancy
| Risk
factors present at onset of Pregnancy |
Risk
factors occurring during Pregnancy |
| Age
less than 15 years or greater than 35 years |
Low
Hb - Less than 12.0 g per 100 ml blood |
| Frequent
pregnancies - 3 or more during approx. 2 years |
Inadequate
weight gain |
| Poor
obstetric history or poor foetal performance |
Any
weight loss |
| Poverty |
Weight
gain less than 1 kg per month after 1st trimester |
| Bizarre
food habits |
Excessive
weight gain - i kg per week after 1st trimester |
| Abuse
of caffeine, nicotine, alcohol or drugs |
|
| Therapeutic
diet required for chronic disorders |
|
Inadequate
weight
- Less than 85% of
standard
- Greater than 120% of
standard
|
|
|
DIET & FEEDING PATTERN
While planning meals for pregnant
women, the basic meal planning principles remain the same as for normal
adults. During early months of pregnancy, the mother often suffers from
morning sickness due to hormonal and psychological changes taking place
in her body. To minimise the effect of morning sickness and nausea of
early pregnancy, the woman should be given small amounts of foods with
increased frequency. Solid carbohydrate foods like biscuits, bread or
fruit, as first food in the morning as well as before meals will help to
relieve the nausea of early pregnancy. At the same time, avoid rich,
fried, strongly flavoured and highly spiced foods.
It should be remembered that
- During the first trimester, the
mother's nutrient intake need not be increased.
- To meet the increased requirements
during the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy, the mother needs to
consume extra food. To take care of this, she should be given some
snacks in between the main meals rather than three large meals, thus
increasing her frequency of feeding. Therefore her feeding pattern
should be 5 to 6 meals a day. Increased protein needs can be met by
including protein of good quality like milk, meat eggs, fish.
Proteins can also be obtained from food items like pulses,
groundnuts, soyabeans, etc., which are comparatively cheaper. To
improve their protein quality, combination of plant protein like
cereals and pulses along with small amounts of animal protein should
be used.
- To meet the additional iron need,
foodstuffs like whole grain cereals, whole pulses, some leafy
vegetables like mustard leaves, bathua, etc., dried fruits, eggs and
organ meats should be consumed.
- During pregnancy, due to foetal
pressure, constipation is common problem. Therefore, larger
quantities of foods rich in dietary fibre, i.e., fresh fruits and
vegetables, whole grain cereals, husked pulses along with plenty of
fluids need to be included in her diet. Her diet on whole should be
nutritious and well balanced
A Days Sample Diet Plan for a
Pregnant Woman
Mrs Shiva, aged 25 years, wife
of a businessmen, is expecting a baby in another 2 months. She has a part-time
domestic help but is actively engaged in household chores: she is vegetarian
by choice. A days sample diet is planned below.
Personal Data
| Age |
25
years |
| Sex |
Female |
| Activity |
Moderately
Active |
| Physiological
State |
Pregnancy
( 3rd Trimester) |
| Socio-economic
Status |
MIG |
| Food
Habits |
Vegetarian |
Recommended Dietary Allowances
| Energy |
2525
kcal |
| Protein |
65
g |
| Iron |
38
mg |
| Thiamine |
1.3
mg |
Sample Menu Plan
| Meal |
Menu |
| Breakfast |
Tea |
| |
Spinach
Besan Parathas |
| |
Curd |
| |
Guava |
| Mid-Morning |
Biscuits |
| |
Lemon
Water (Nimboo Pani) |
| Lunch |
Channa
Curry |
| |
Stuffed
Tindas |
| |
Mint
Raita |
| |
Salad |
| |
Rice/Chapattis |
| Evening
Tea |
Banana
Shake in Milk |
| |
Poha |
| Dinner |
Pea
Paneer Curry |
| |
Mixed
Vegetable (dry) |
| |
Chapattis/Rice |
| |
Fruit
Custard |
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