KETOGENIC DIET FOR

EXPECTANT MOTHERS
By Jonathan K. Kush & Prudence Magezi
Is a Ketogenic Diet Good For

Expectant Mothers?
Photo Credit: The Sun.co.uk
F
irst, what’s a ketogenic diet? A
ketogenic diet or keto puts
emphasis on eating very low
carbs, moderate protein and
high-fat foods to lose weight.
Many people swear by it for
helping them lose weight,
epilepsy and diabetes.
However, not everyone is
convinced about it, and much
is still up for debate on its
Did you know a ketogenic diet
can be used to treat epilepsy
and diabetes?

build muscle and even treating

health conditions such as effects.

Personally, I’m more
interested in finding out what
research has to say about its
effects on pregnant women and
their unborn.
My thinking is, carbs are a
main source of energy for the
body so how might reducing
them affect the energy and
nutritional needs of expectant
mothers?
Is a ketogenic diet good for
expectant mothers?
I bet most of you have tried or
heard of a diet trend all the way
from the infamous Atkins diet to
recent ones such as Paleo and
Keto diets etc. The latter is all
about doing away with carbs. It
is becoming very popular among
weight-loss circles.
However, it is its growing
adoption among women of
childbearing age that is arousing
concern among researchers and
scientists on the possible
drawbacks of Keto dieting.
Below we look at the pros and
cons!
1) A ketogenic diet could affect
the baby’s brain formation
Experiments on the possible
complications of Keto on
pregnant women haven’t been
carried out yet most probably
because of ethics and values but
many have been carried out on
animals with evidence showing a
Ketogenic diet during pregnancy
could affect a baby’s brain
formation.1
1 Kresser Chris (2018) “Do low carb diets
during pregnancy increase the risk of birth
defects?” [Online] at
https://chriskresser.com/do-low-carb-diets-
Studies conducted on the effects
of less carb intake during
pregnancy show that low carb
diets influence the baby later in
life.
One study on humans discovered
that offsprings of mothers
exposed to high fat and protein
diets had noticeably reduced
insulin production in response to
glucose challenge 40 years later.
The same studies discovered that
mothers who had high protein
intake and low carbs during
pregnancy exposed their
offsprings to high cortisol levels
30 years later. 2
during-pregnancy-increase-the-risk-of-birth-
defects/
2 Kresser Chris (2018) “Do low carb diets
during pregnancy increase the risk of birth
defects?” [Online] at
https://chriskresser.com/do-low-carb-diets-
during-pregnancy-increase-the-risk-of-birth-
defects/
2) Ketosis a natural part of every
pregnancy
However, you should also
remember that ketosis is a natural
part of every pregnancy.3
Most pregnant women
experience symptoms such as a
lack of appetite and nausea
during pregnancy which makes
them go in and out of ketosis
naturally.4
Doctor Jerry Hizon, a renowned
keto expert suggests that
maintaining a ketogenic diet
during pregnancy may help
expectant mothers become
resistant to insulin, which makes
them sensitive to carbs. This is
due to the natural process in
which the body becomes insulin
3 Perfect Keto (2018) “Ketosis during
pregnancy” [Online]at
https://www.perfectketo.com/ketosis-during-
pregnancy/
4 Hizon Jerry (2018) “What to know about a
ketogenic diet during pregnancy” Carbs to Keto
[Online]at http://carbstoketo.org/what-to-know-
about-a-ketogenic-diet-during-pregnancy/
resistant to allow nutrients to
flow from mother to unborn
baby. This hence justifies why a
nutrient dense keto diet is
important to pregnant mothers.5
3) Low birth weight
Another key point is, going on a
low carb diet during pregnancy
may also affect a baby’s weight
and development. Low carb diets
tend to be high in fats, so you can
end up limiting the amount of
fruits, fibre and vegetables you
may be consuming. If you are
not careful, you may limit
important minerals and vitamins
which are extremely important
for you and your baby. 6
5 Emerrich Maria (2012) “Keto during
pregnancy” Keto adopted [Online]at
http://mariamindbodyhealth.com/keto-
pregnancy/
6 Watkins Sasha (2018) “Is it safe to be on a
low carb diet during pregnancy?” Baby Centre
[Online]at
https://www.babycentre.co.uk/x560501/is-it-
safe-to-go-on-a-low-carb-diet-in-pregnancy
As a pregnant woman, make sure
your main meal includes whole
grains carbohydrates as they are
great sources of energy, iron,
calcium and fibre.
Fat and protein which make up a
low carb diet may also be
important for your unborn, but
they do not offer fibre, glucose
and most importantly folic acid
which is mainly found in
carbohydrates.
Insufficient intake of Folic acid
may result in birth defects such
as brain abnormality, which is
why doctors recommend
approximately 800 micrograms
daily.7
7 Elovson Andrea (2018) “Is it safe to go carb
free during pregnancy?” bubblu.com [Online]at
https://www.babble.com/pregnancy/carb-free-
safety-decision/
4) Increased vulnerability to
tiredness, bad breath and kidney
stones
Dietician Sasha Watkins also
notes that low carb diets can
make you vulnerable to tiredness,
bad breath as well as an
increased risk of kidney stone
diseases due to the high protein
content.
Nevertheless, pregnant women
can still go on a low carb diet
during pregnancy as long as they
are also eating foods rich in fibre,
glucose and folic acid for proper
nutrition. Unborn babies need
both glucose and ketones to grow
so it’s all about ensuring that the
mother has enough calories and
blood sugar levels.8
8 Perfect Keto (2018) “Ketosis during
pregnancy” [Online]at
https://www.perfectketo.com/ketosis-during-
pregnancy/
5) Reduced rate of miscarriage,
gestational diabetes and morning
sickness
According to Diet Doctor, a low
carb diet reduces the rates of
miscarriage, gestational diabetes,
and morning sickness among
others.
With at least 100 successful
cases of ketogenic pregnancies,
Dr Michael Fox recommends a
low carb diet for pregnant
women as it can reduce
incidences of morning sickness
and extreme vomiting which
occur because of insulin
resistance. The only takeaway is
it should be started at least two to
three months before pregnancy,
so the body can adapt to fat.
6) Restricted calorie intake
The other to remember if you
are pregnant and want to go on
keto is, it is associated with
weight loss. Keto lovers believe
restricting calories does not
affect an unborn baby during the
first months of pregnancy as the
fetus is not gaining any
noticeable weight.
They recommend it is safe to
keep shading weight even
through the last phases as long as
you have enough body fat to
support energy levels.9 However,
restricting calorie intake also cuts
back on micronutrient intake,
which may be vital for the
development of the baby.10
So, what is the final verdict on
Keto for pregnant women?
Well, there are pros and cons as
to everything in this world. It
really comes down to one thing!
9 Keto-gains (2016) “Is keto dangerous while
pregnant, breastfeeding or for children?”
[Online]at https://ketogains.com/2016/12/keto-
dangerous-pregnant-breastfeeding-children/
10 Watkins Sasha (2018) “Is it safe to be on a
low carb diet during pregnancy?” Baby Centre
[Online]at
https://www.babycentre.co.uk/x560501/is-it-
safe-to-go-on-a-low-carb-diet-in-pregnancy
When it comes to pregnancy,
carbohydrates are vital for both
mother and baby because carbs
are the main source of energy for
both mother and unborn child.
However, not all carbs are
created equal. Choose whole
grain or whole meal
carbohydrates over their white
equivalents as whole grains offer
all the important nutrients needed
during pregnancy.
However, if you want to opt for a
low carb diet, you should contact
your doctor or else you should
consider starting on this diet
before pregnancy.
Switching from burning
carbohydrates to fats can be a
stressful transition on your body
and you don’t need this extra
stress on you and your baby. If
you are already on the diet, you
should consider adding other
foods for proper nutrition and
ensure that you have enough
calories and blood levels.
All in all, pregnancy is not the
best time for a low carb diet
(Keto).
While anecdotal evidence may
suggest successful keto
pregnancies, it remains just that;
anecdotal. It’s vital to get proper
nutrients that will help a baby
grow.