Nutritional requirements increase during pregnancy to maintain maternal metabolism and tissue accretion while supporting fetal growth and development.
Macronutritions in pregnancy
During pregnancy the maternal diet must provide an adequate supply of energy to support the mothers requirements as well as those of the growing fetus. Energy requirements during the first trimester generally don”t differ from from those of non – pregnant women but increase between 10-30 weeks of gestation when the growth of maternal and fetal tissue is greatest.
Protein : Protein is involved in both structural and functional biological roles.Globally, the primer sources of protein are plant based foods such as legumes , grains and nuts followed by animal based foods such as meat and diary . Absolute increase in protein syntesis occurs during the second and third trimestr .Overall , a protein intake of % 10-25 of total energy appears to be safe .
Glycaemic index , glycaemic load and fibre A low GI,low GL , and high fibre diet may be beneficial in preconception or early pregnancy for women at risk of developing Gestational diabetes or preeclampsia or having Large gestational infant .
Fatty Acids Essential fatty acids include linoleic ,alpha lineloik acid , arachidonic acid,EPA and DHA. These are key structural componenets of cell membrans .Diet sources include oil rich fish as well as fish oil supplements esp omega 3. DHA can influence the development of the brain and retina in fetus, while EPA may reduce the risk of preeclampsia . Omega 3 supplementation during pregnancy reduced preterm pregnancy but also contributed to prolonged gestation.
