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C. Nutritional Needs and Recommendations For Pregnancy I. Energy (Calorie) Needs
C. Nutritional Needs and Recommendations For Pregnancy I. Energy (Calorie) Needs
PROTEIN SOURCES
-meat
- poultry
- fish
- yogurt
- eggs
- milk
III. Fat Needs
Only linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid necessary for new cell
growth, cannot be manufactured in the body from other sources. Because
linoleic acid must be obtained from food, women must be sure to consume
a source of this nutrient during pregnancy.
Vegetable oils are a good source. In addition, using vegetable oils
(e.g., safflower, corn, olive, peanut, and cottonseed) that have a low
cholesterol content rather than animal oils (butter) is recommended for all
adults as a means of preventing hypercholesterolemia and coronary heart
disease.
Women should also try and ingest omega-3 oils, found primarily in
fish, omega-3–fortified eggs, and the newer omega-3–fortified spreads
(Bourre, 2007).
FAT SOURCES
-safflower
- corn
- olive
- peanut
-cottonseed
Vitamin A & Beta Helps bones and teeth grow Liver, milk, eggs,
Carotene carrots, spinach, green
(770 mcg, daily max = and yellow
1000 mcg) vegetables, broccoli,
potatoes, pumpkin,
yellow fruits,
cantaloupe
Vitamin D (5 mcg/600 IU, Helps body use calcium and Milk, fatty fish, sunshine
daily max = 4000 IU) phosphorus; promotes strong
teeth and bones
Vitamin E (15 mg, daily Helps body form and use red Vegetable oil, wheat
max = 1000 mg) blood cells and muscles germ, nuts, spinach,
fortified cereals
Pyridoxine/B6 (1.9 mg, Helps form red blood cells; Chicken, fish, liver,
daily max = 100 mg) helps to reduce morning pork, eggs, soybeans,
sickness carrots, cabbage,
cantaloupe, peas,
spinach, wheat germ,
sunflower seeds,
bananas,
beans, broccoli, brown
rice, oats, bran,
peanuts, walnuts
V. Mineral Needs
Minerals are necessary for new cell building in a fetus. Because they
are found in so many foods and because mineral absorption improves
during pregnancy, mineral deficiency, with the exception of calcium,
iodine, and iron, is rare.
Iodine.
Iodine is essential for the formation of thyroxine and, therefore, for
the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. As thyroid function increases
during pregnancy, a woman needs to ingest enough iodine during
pregnancy to supply this increased need. If iodine deficiency occurs, it can
cause hypothyroidism and thyroid enlargement (goiter) in a woman. In
extreme instances, it can cause the same symptoms in a fetus.
Thyroid enlargement in a fetus at birth is serious because the
increased pressure of the enlarged gland on the airway could lead to early
respiratory distress. If not discovered at birth, hypothyroidism may lead to
the infant’s being cognitively challenged.
The DRI for iodine is 220 -g daily during pregnancy. Seafood is the
best source of iodine. In areas where the water and soil are known to be
deficient in iodine such as the Great Lakes area in the United States, it is
suggested that women use iodized salt rather than plain salt to ensure a
healthy iodine intake (Marchioni et al., 2008). Iron. A fetus at term has a
hemoglobin level of 17 to 21 g per 100 mL of blood, a level that is
necessary to oxygenate the blood during intrauterine life.
Iron
Iron is needed to build this high level of hemoglobin. In addition,
after week 20 of pregnancy, a fetus begins to store iron in the liver to last
through the first 3 months of life, when intake will consist mainly of milk,
typically low in iron. In addition to supplying these high fetal needs, a
woman needs iron to build an increased red cell volume for herself and to
protect against iron lost in blood at birth.
The DRI for iron for pregnant women is 27 mg. An average diet
supplies about 6 mg of iron per 1000 calories. If a woman eats a 2500-
calorie diet daily, her daily intake, therefore, is about 15 mg iron. Because
only 10% to 20% of dietary iron is absorbed, she is actually taking in less
than this amount (closer to 1.5 to 3 mg).
Therefore, dietary supplementation with 15 mg iron per day helps
ensure that adequate iron is ingested and absorbed. Stress to women that
iron supplementation is intended as a supplement to, not a replacement
for, iron-rich foods. Women with low incomes may find it difficult to eat
adequate iron-rich foods because the foods richest in iron (e.g., organ
meats; eggs; green, leafy vegetables; whole grains; enriched bread; dried
fruits) are also expensive. Iron absorption increases in an acid
environment, so eating iron-rich foods or swallowing iron pills with
ascorbic acid (found in orange juice) may increase absorption. Oral iron
compounds turn stools black or blackish green.
The compounds can be irritating to the stomach or cause
constipation in some women. If this happens, urge women not to stop
taking the iron compound but to always take the iron pills with food and
increase fluid intake or fiber to relieve constipation. Some women may
need a prescribed stool softener such as docusate sodium (Colace); this
stool softener is not associated with teratogenic action, so it can be taken
safely during pregnancy.
Fluoride.
Because fluoride aids in the formation of sound teeth, a pregnant
woman should drink fluoridated water. In an area where the water is not
fluoridated either naturally or artificially, supplemental fluoride may be
recommended. Fluoride in large amounts causes brown-stained teeth, so
a woman should not take the supplement more often than prescribed or if
the tap water in her area is already fluoridated. Many women, worried
about added chemicals in their city water supply, switch to bottled water
during pregnancy. If they do this, advise them to buy a fluoridated type or
alert their health care providers that they may need a supplement.
Sodium
Sodium is the major electrolyte that acts to maintain fluid in the
body: when sodium is retained rather than excreted by the kidneys, an
equal or balancing amount of fluid is also
retained. Retaining enough fluid during pregnancy in the maternal
circulation is important to ensure a pressure gradient to allow the optimal
exchange of nutrients across the placenta. Unless a woman is
hypertensive or has heart disease with required sodium restriction when
she enters pregnancy, she should continue to add salt to foods as usual
during pregnancy.
However, she should use moderation with foods that are extremely
salty, such as lunch meats or potato chips, or with additive monosodium
glutamate. Too much salt could result in the retention of excessive
amounts of fluid, putting a strain on her heart as blood volume doubles.
Zinc
Zinc is necessary for the synthesis of DNA and RNA. Although not
proved, zinc deficiency may be associated with preterm birth. The DRI for
zinc during pregnancy is 12 mg or an increase of 3 mg over prepregnancy
needs. Most people who take in adequate protein also take in adequate
zinc because zinc is contained in foods such as meat, liver, eggs, and
seafood. It is also a component of prenatal vitamins to help ensure an
adequate intake (Rolfes, Pinna, & Whitney, 2009).
ZINC SOURCES
- meat
- liver
-eggs
-seafood.
VI. Fluid Needs
Extra amounts of water are needed during pregnancy to promote
kidney function because a woman must excrete waste products for two.
Two or three glasses of fluid daily over and above the three servings of
milk recommended by the food pyramid is a common recommendation
during pregnancy (a total of six to eight glasses daily).
FIBER SOURCES
- broccoli and asparagus
-vegetables and fruits
D. REFERENCE
Nutrients & Vitamins for Pregnancy. (2019, September 20). Retrieved from
https://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/nutrients-vitamins-pregnancy/?
fbclid=IwAR0sD1blQs0KZ8KGlcH4BH022gTXM3z-8V-BGUfMHkER04VsMILZ2PfAhtw
Silbert-Flagg, J., & Pillitteri, A. (2018). Maternal & child health nursing: Care of the
childbearing & childrearing family. Wolters Kluwer. Page 288-291