Good nutrition can help to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Healthy eating can help to reduce your risk of developing chronic conditions
that can affect pregnancy, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. A nutritious diet can also ensure that you
receive the right nutrients to support a healthy pregnancy.
General requirements for healthy eating
Consuming a healthy diet involves choosing a variety of items from the four major food groups. For women of childbearing age,
this includes:
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Vegetables and fruits (seven to eight servings per day): Choose ample amounts of dark green and orange vegetables, and orange
fruits.
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Grain products (six to seven servings per day): Choose whole grain and enriched products.
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Milk products and alternatives (two servings per day): Choose lower-fat milk products.
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Meat and alternatives (two servings per day): Choose lean meat, poultry, fish, dried peas, beans, and lentils.
Servings are not very big. For instance, a serving is about ½ cup of vegetables, 1 slice of bread, or ¾ cup of yogurt. Consult
Canada's Food Guide for more information.
Three nutrients are especially important during pregnancy, and if you are thinking of becoming pregnant: calcium, iron, and
folic acid.
Calcium
The developing baby needs calcium to grow strong bones and teeth, a healthy heart, nerves, and muscles. To increase calcium
intake, choose more servings from the milk products food group. Try using milk in puddings, soups, pancakes, and casseroles.
If you are lactose intolerant, try lactose-reduced milk. For some women, calcium supplements may be appropriate.
Iron
Both you and your baby will need iron during pregnancy. If you do not take in enough iron, you could become anemic, which
could cause complications during pregnancy and birth. The need for iron increases throughout pregnancy and peaks in the third
trimester. To increase the amount of iron in the diet, choose more servings of meat, meat alternatives, and whole and enriched
grains. In some women, a low-dose iron supplement may be needed.
Folic acid
The first trimester of pregnancy is the most common time for the unborn baby to develop congenital abnormalities, which are
also referred to as birth defects. Cells that are growing rapidly need a vitamin called folic acid to develop properly. Therefore,
adequate levels of this vitamin can protect against birth defects. Folic acid is especially important in protection against
neural tube defects, which are abnormalities that occur in early pregnancy, when a structure called the neural tube fails
to close properly. Neural tube defects can lead to serious problems with the brain and spinal cord, including a disease called
spina bifida and a problem with the structure of the brain called anencephaly.
The recommended folic acid intake for women with no health risks or with health risks such as epilepsy, diabetes, or obesity is
0.4 to 1.0 mg per day with a daily multivitamin. Folic acid should be taken from two to three months before conception, throughout
pregnancy, and for the first four to six weeks after birth or as long as breastfeeding continues.
A woman who has previously conceived a baby with a birth defect such as anencephaly, myelomeningocele, cleft lip or palate,
structural heart disease, limb defect, a defect of the urinary tract, or hydrocephalus should take 5.0 mg of folic acid daily
from three months before conception until 10 to 12 weeks after conception. After that time, she needs to continue taking folic
acid 0.4 to 1.0 mg per day throughout the rest of pregnancy and for the first four to six weeks after birth or as long as
breastfeeding continues.
Folic acid can be found in dark green vegetables; legumes such as beans, peas, and lentils; and whole grain products, but
most women need a supplement to meet the daily requirements in pregnancy.
Canada's Food Guide recommends that all women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as well as all women who could become pregnant,
should take a multivitamin containing folic acid every day. Speak to your health care provider about finding the right multivitamin
for you.
Other important nutrients
There are a number of other important nutrients during pregnancy, which can be acquired through eating a healthy diet. These
include:
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protein: for growth and repair of the unborn baby,
placenta,
uterus, and breasts, and increased blood volume during pregnancy.
Protein is found in meat, eggs, dairy products, and certain plant sources such as beans and nuts.
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iodine: to meet the increased needs of the unborn baby. Iodized salt is the most common source of iodine.
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potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B12: because their concentrations in the mother’s blood usually decrease significantly during
pregnancy. The richest sources of potassium are fruits and vegetables. Vegetables and fruits, such as citrus fruits and tomatoes, are
high in vitamin C. The best sources of vitamin B12 are meat and dairy products; women who do not eat meat or meat products
may need to include vitamin B12-fortified foods in their diet.
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vitamin D: Daily multivitamins should also contain 200 to 400 IU of vitamin D per day, and some studies are starting to show
that a higher
dose of vitamin D is beneficial throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding.
