Nutritional requirements during the pregnancy
Definition
Pregnancy mothers are required to eat selected food rich in nutrients to ensure that they
promote their own health and that of the fetus and at the same time protect themselves from
complication. Nutritional diets concern eating food diets that are rich in various nutritional
levels.
Prognosis
Pregnant mothers require food rich in minerals and vitamins for themselves and for their
baby. They are also required to take food that are low in empty calories obtained from food such
a soft drinks solid fats, added sugars, fried foods, whole milk, cheese, and fatty meats (Wallis &
Sadftlas, 2008). The food choices should also be fat free and should have no or fewer calories
(United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2013). It is also advised for these pregnancy
mothers to take prenatal mineral and vitamins in addition to eating healthy diets to ensure that
the baby gets important and necessary nutrients such as iron and folic acid. The foods need to be
consumed in moderations moderation. Furthermore, pregnancy women are not required to drink
alcohol and engage in smoking as these may have developmental and behavioral problem to the
baby. It may even result to more severe complications to children such as mental retardation and
malformation (Wallis & Sadftlas, 2008).
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS DURING THE PREGNANCY 2
Special nutritional requirements to prevent preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a syndrome associated with high blood pressure and protein in the urine.
This condition causes complications in the fetus such as prematurity and growth restrictions.
Redundancy growth is due to reduced blood flow to placenta and this leads to shortage in
nutrition supply to the fetus (Wallis & Sadftlas, 2008). This therefore led to small baby and
premature birth. Nutritional interventions have been cited to help reduce the risk of developing
preeclampsia. The pregnancy mother should take calcium and fiber (Hofmeyr et al. 2007). Those
at risk furthermore, need to consume enough dairy products, vegetables and fruits before and
during pregnancy. Women should also be encouraged to take selenium found in foods such as
fortified cereal, grains and Brazil nuts. Those with low levels of selenium have higher chances-4
times of suffering from preeclampsia compared to those that have higher levels (Rayman et al
2003).
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS DURING THE PREGNANCY 3
References
Hofmeyr, G., Duley, L., & Atallah, A. (2007). Dietary calcium supplementation for prevention
of pre-eclampsia and related problems: A systematic review and commentary, BJOG
114(8): 933-943
Rayman, M/. Bode, P., & Redman, C. (2003). Low selenium status is associated with the
occurrence of the pregnancy disease preeclampsia in women from the United Kingdom,
American journal of Obstetrics and gynecology, 189(5): 1343-1349.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). (2013). Nutritional needs during pregnancy.
Nutritional requirements during the pregnancy Definition, prognosis and Special
nutritional requirements to prevent preeclampsia
Nutritional requirements during the pregnancy
Definition
Pregnancy mothers are required to eat selected food rich in nutrients to ensure that they
promote their own health and that of the fetus and at the same time protect themselves from
complication. Nutritional diets concern eating food diets that are rich in various nutritional
levels.
Prognosis
Pregnant mothers require food rich in minerals and vitamins for themselves and for their
baby. They are also required to take food that are low in empty calories obtained from food such
a soft drinks solid fats, added sugars, fried foods, whole milk, cheese, and fatty meats (Wallis &
Sadftlas, 2008). The food choices should also be fat free and should have no or fewer calories
(United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2013). It is also advised for these pregnancy
mothers to take prenatal mineral and vitamins in addition to eating healthy diets to ensure that
the baby gets important and necessary nutrients such as iron and folic acid. The foods need to be
consumed in moderations moderation. Furthermore, pregnancy women are not required to drink
alcohol and engage in smoking as these may have developmental and behavioral problem to the
baby. It may even result to more severe complications to children such as mental retardation and
malformation (Wallis & Sadftlas, 2008).
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS DURING THE PREGNANCY 2
Special nutritional requirements to prevent preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a syndrome associated with high blood pressure and protein in the urine.
This condition causes complications in the fetus such as prematurity and growth restrictions.
Redundancy growth is due to reduced blood flow to placenta and this leads to shortage in
nutrition supply to the fetus (Wallis & Sadftlas, 2008). This therefore led to small baby and
premature birth. Nutritional interventions have been cited to help reduce the risk of developing
preeclampsia. The pregnancy mother should take calcium and fiber (Hofmeyr et al. 2007). Those
at risk furthermore, need to consume enough dairy products, vegetables and fruits before and
during pregnancy. Women should also be encouraged to take selenium found in foods such as
fortified cereal, grains and Brazil nuts. Those with low levels of selenium have higher chances-4
times of suffering from preeclampsia compared to those that have higher levels (Rayman et al
2003).
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS DURING THE PREGNANCY 3
References
Hofmeyr, G., Duley, L., & Atallah, A. (2007). Dietary calcium supplementation for prevention
of pre-eclampsia and related problems: A systematic review and commentary, BJOG
114(8): 933-943
Rayman, M/. Bode, P., & Redman, C. (2003). Low selenium status is associated with the
occurrence of the pregnancy disease preeclampsia in women from the United Kingdom,
American journal of Obstetrics and gynecology, 189(5): 1343-1349.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). (2013). Nutritional needs during pregnancy.