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Pregnancy diet – what to eat and what to avoid?

Updated: 8min.

Are you in a "blessed state" and afraid of gestational diabetes? Or maybe you're worried about whether you're feeding yourself and your baby well? Get in, we're going for some dietary tidbits about pregnancy!

Diet and pregnancy

Pregnancy is a special time – it is common knowledge that during this crucial 9-month period, special attention should be paid to health and lifestyle. They have a significant impact on the development of pregnancy, the course of labor, and the health of the child and parent after delivery. Let us analyze how the nutritional needs of pregnant women change throughout the entire stage of pregnancy and what significance individual nutrients have for the proper development of the child.

Energy requirements during pregnancy

The body's nutritional needs at the beginning of pregnancy are different from those in the last trimester.

In the first trimester of pregnancy, the body's energy requirements increase only slightly, unless we are dealing with athletes or physically active people. The greater increase in demand concerns minerals and vitamins. This mainly concerns:

  • folic acid (folate),
  • B vitamins,
  • zinc,
  • iodine.

If a person had deficiencies of basic nutrients before pregnancy, these deficiencies may become more severe during pregnancy – which is why appropriate check-ups are so important !

What about the second and third trimester?

The increase in energy requirements towards the end of the third month of pregnancy , which lasts until about the beginning of the third trimester , is related to the changes that occur in the pregnant woman's body. This is when the hormonal profile changes, fat tissue accumulates, the uterus enlarges and the mammary glands prepare for later lactation.

In the third trimester of pregnancy, the body focuses on providing nutrients to the baby for its proper development - it is the diet of a pregnant person that is the main factor influencing the child's later growth and maturation. By accumulating nutrients (including protein and fatty acids), the body also prepares for breastfeeding . Throughout pregnancy and lactation, the future parent should take special care to properly hydrate the body.

Interestingly, a proper diet during pregnancy reduces the risk of premature birth.

Easily digestible diet during pregnancy

It is important that the diet during pregnancy is easily digestible . This is especially important in the first weeks of pregnancy (when most people experience morning sickness) and in the third trimester (when intestinal problems may be bothersome). Foods should be eaten after prior heat treatment, which will reduce the amount of dietary fiber, which can irritate the intestinal walls and increase flatulence. In the case of flatulence, you should be careful with foods rich in dietary fiber, especially some cereal products, such as oatmeal, whole grain bread, dried fruit or legumes (remember to rinse thoroughly and cook cereals and legumes for a long time). Additionally, the diet of a pregnant person should be based on fresh, seasonal and nutrient-dense products.

Healthy products

When you get pregnant, or ideally a few months before, it is worth analyzing your diet. Remember that during pregnancy you are eating for two (or even more!), so the supply of nutrients should be greater than before - all in order to provide enough ingredients for the proper development of the fetus and the health of the parent.

The basic food products that pregnant people should include in their daily diet include:

  • whole grain cereal products (source of fiber);
  • vegetables, especially green leafy ones (source of vitamin C);
  • low-sugar berries (source of antioxidants);
  • vegetable fats such as olive oil, evening primrose, borage and linseed oils, seeds and pits, avocado, freshwater fish (a source of omega 3-6-9 fatty acids and vitamin D);
  • good quality meat and offal;
  • nuts (source of magnesium and potassium);
  • cocoa (source of vitamin E, iron and B vitamins);
  • bee products (pollen and propolis);
  • highly or medium mineralized water.

What to avoid or not eat during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, some products are not recommended in a pregnant woman's diet:

  • highly processed products (contained in fast food, sweets, snacks, ready meals),
  • vegetable oils (sunflower, rapeseed) sold in plastic bottles and added to bakery products,
  • raw meat,
  • maturing meats,
  • blue cheeses,
  • long-ripened cheeses,
  • raw eggs,
  • unpasteurized dairy products,

Vegetarian diet during pregnancy

Proper nutrition for a person on a vegetarian diet during pregnancy requires a little more knowledge and focus on the diet, but nothing is impossible! When determining the diet of a person who does not eat meat on a daily basis, it is necessary to include products that provide the right amounts of minerals (including iron), folic acid and other B vitamins that affect fetal development.

A vegetarian diet during pregnancy should be appropriately balanced in terms of protein. Protein sources in a vegetarian diet can be:

  • high-protein dairy products (yogurts, cottage cheese, cottage cheese),
  • goat and sheep dairy products,
  • vegetable protein from legumes (lentils, chickpeas, peas, beans).

Unfortunately, sometimes a pregnant person reacts badly to dairy products or legumes, for example. It is worth adding protein to the diet in the form of a supplement (rice or hemp, for example).

It is common for people on a vegetarian diet to occasionally include sea fish and seafood in their diet (still excluding red meat and poultry). We call this pescatarianism . It is a variation of the well-known flexitarian diet , popular among people who eat healthily.

Vegan diet for pregnant women

A vegan diet is based on eating only plant-based products. A well-balanced diet can be successfully used by pregnant people! When planning a menu for such a person, remember to properly balance protein, iron, zinc, omega 3-6-9 fatty acids and some vitamins (B12, D3, folic acid).

Also read our article about the impact of vegetarianism and veganism on the menstrual cycle .

Anemia in pregnancy

A major problem that pregnant women struggle with is anemia . The appearance of anemia can depend on many factors, and one of them is iron deficiency.

This is especially true for people who follow a vegetarian diet, where the supply of heme iron (i.e. the one that is best absorbed by the human body and comes from meat) is negligible. Non-heme iron (from plants and seeds) is less well absorbed, although there are many more sources of it.

Iron deficiency leads to improper enzyme function and gene regulation, hypoxia, and improper development of the child's brain and nervous system. Iron and folic acid deficiency, in turn, can cause developmental defects in the child. Any iron supplementation should be discussed with the attending physician. It is also worth talking to a clinical dietitian about what to eat during pregnancy to support the child's proper development.

Products rich in iron

Foods rich in heme iron include meat (including goose, veal, beef and duck), offal (poultry, pork) and eggs .

Plant foods that contain large amounts of iron include:

  • green leafy vegetables (spinach, parsley, kale),
  • beetroot,
  • nuts and seeds (e.g. walnuts, pumpkin seeds),
  • cereal products (millet),
  • some legumes (e.g. soybeans, white beans).

Iron will also be provided by some fruits (dried apricots, dates) and spirulina.

Iron absorption

In the case of anemia, it is important to remember not only about products rich in iron, but also about the factors that affect its absorption . Iron absorption will be limited if we add dairy products to a meal . It is also inhibited by too much fiber or drinking tea with a meal . People struggling with inflammation of the digestive system are also at risk of iron deficiency .

The absorption of iron is increased by the presence of vitamin C. It can be found in, among others:

  • parsley,
  • red pepper,
  • Brussels sprouts,
  • rosehips and blackcurrants.

It is also worth remembering about sea buckthorn in your diet, which contains as much as 900 milligrams in 100 grams!

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a metabolic condition that can cause serious complications for both the pregnant woman and her baby.

It most often affects people who are overweight, obese and do not follow the principles of healthy eating, but this is not a rigid rule. These people often end up in a hospital ward with the threat of premature birth and have to take insulin. Gestational diabetes is associated with many threats to the health and life of the child, causing excessive birth weight, hypertrophy of the heart muscle, fatty tissue and fatty liver. Hyperinsulinemia in the fetus also slows down the development of the respiratory and digestive systems. Children born to a person with improperly managed gestational diabetes have problems with the circulatory and respiratory systems.

Diet for gestational diabetes

The diet during pregnancy, in which diabetes appears, is quite restrictive, but necessary. Its basis is low-processed carbohydrate products, with a low glycemic index, containing fiber (for example, whole grain bread, thick groats, mountain oat flakes). Additionally, meals should have a low glycemic load, which can be achieved by adding healthy fats (for example, in the form of nuts and seeds, avocado, olive oil, fish, butter or egg yolk) and protein (from good quality meat, offal, sea fish or cheese).

A diabetic diet should be rich in substances that support the functioning of the body's glucose-insulin metabolism. Natural substances that take part in regulating blood sugar levels and that you can get from food include:

  • vitamin C (found in greens, berries and peppers),
  • potassium (eat cocoa, nuts, tomatoes and bananas),
  • magnesium (sources include cereals, pumpkin seeds and pistachios),
  • chromium (found in yeast, cereals, some cheeses and eggs),
  • alpha lipoic acid (the richest source is red meat and its offal – heart, kidneys, liver, as well as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and tomatoes).

Hepatic cholestasis

Hepatic cholestasis in pregnant women is a condition of intrahepatic bile stasis of an unknown cause. It consists of insufficient secretion of bile into the bile ducts, which is why it accumulates in the liver cells and clots can form in the ducts. In such a situation, high concentrations of bile components are noted in the blood results of a pregnant woman. As a result of long-term bile stasis, serious damage to liver cells can occur.

Causes of cholestasis in pregnancy

The main cause of cholestasis in pregnant women is changes in hormone levels, which occur especially in the third trimester. In pregnant women, the metabolism of estrogens is disturbed, and together with progesterone, they have a physiologically high level at this time. Problems occur with the breakdown of hormones (their inactivation) and removal from the body, which results in the reabsorption of these hormones, which should be excreted from the body after completing their task. Genetics is also indicated as a factor - almost half of people have a history of an episode of cholestasis, which means that there have been cases of this type of disorder in their families.

Is dietary treatment possible?

The doctor should decide on the method of treatment, but pharmacological treatment is certainly necessary in most cases to prevent health complications in the child.

It is worth remembering that prevention is equally important (especially in the case of multiple pregnancies), and diet can effectively help. One of the components involved in the process of bile synthesis and secretion is selenium. It plays an important role in the synthesis and metabolism of thyroid hormones, and is also a very strong antioxidant. It occurs in large quantities in eggs, some fish (e.g. salmon), cocoa and groats. If there are no contraindications, it is worth eating these products during pregnancy. Any supplementation should be discussed with your doctor.

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  • A. Celińska, Intrahepatic cholestasis in pregnancy , "Nowa Medycyna" 2000, no. 7, pp. 45-48.
  • K. Cypryk, Gestational diabetes – diagnosis and treatment , "Gynecology and Practical Perinatology" 2016, no. 2, vol. 1, pp. 41-44.
  • B. Dżumaga, The combination of polyunsaturated fatty acids and alpha-lipoic acid (Liponerv) in mild cognitive impairment , "Psychiatria" 2017, no. 4, vol. 14, pp. 255-261.
  • CP Gupta, Role of iron (Fe) in body , "IOSR Journal of Applied Chemistry" 2014, vol. 7, i. 11, p. 38-46.
  • K. Janda, M. Kasprzak, J. Wolska, Vitamin C – structure, properties, functions and occurrence , "Pomeranian Journal of Life Sciences" 2015, no. 61, vol. 4, pp. 419-425.
  • A. Karowicz-Bilińska, Intrahepatic cholestasis in pregnancy , "Gynecology and Practical Perinatology" 2019, no. 1, vol. 4, pp. 16-22.
  • E. Król, Z. Krejpcio, Views on the role of chromium (III) in the prevention and treatment of diabetes , "Diabetologia Kliniczna" 2008, no. 3-4, vol. 9, pp. 168-175.
  • H. Kunahowicz, I. Nadolna, A. Iwanow, B. Przygoda, Nutritional value of selected food products and typical dishes , Warsaw 2012.
  • V. Skrzypulec-Plinta, K. Zborowska, M. Schmidt et al., Iron deficiency in pregnant women , "Forum Położnictwa i Gynecologii" 2020, no. 52, https://www.forumginekologii.pl/artykul/niedobory-zelaza-u-ciezarnych [accessed on 19/11/2021].
  • P. Szoka, A. Strelau, The role of individual components in the diet of pregnant and lactating women according to the recommendations of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics , https://biotechnologia.pl/farmacja/rola-poszczegolnych-skladnikow-w-diecie-kobiet-ciezarnych-i-karmiacych-wedlug-zalecen-miedzynarodowej-federacji-ginekologii-i-poloznictwa-international-federation-of-gynecology-and-obstetrics,19052 [accessed 19/11/2021].
  • M. Wessling-Resnick, Iron: basic nutritional aspects , [in:] Molecular, genetic and nutritional aspects of major and trace minerals , ed. JF Collins, 2017, p.161-171.
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Created at: 14/08/2022

Updated at: 14/08/2022

Author

Magda Warm

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