Pre-pregnancy diet and nutrition

A balanced diet and regular exercise will help you maintain a healthy body weight and increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy.

Pregnant women only require about 300 extra calories per day, and it’s important that these extra calories come from healthy sources. Here are some of the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that will help prepare you for a healthy pregnancy.

Nutrients and foods

Fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, and whole grains

Eat a balanced diet with all these food groups. Visit choosemyplate.gov to learn more about choosing healthy foods. Avoid processed foods, empty calories, artificial sweeteners, unhealthy fats, and foods high in animal fats.

Protein

Most women require at least 60g of protein daily. Protein helps your tissues grow and can be found in meat, eggs, beans, and legumes. For vegetarians, other good protein sources include nuts, nut butters, cheese, protein powders, and tofu.

Fish

While fish contains lots of nutrients, overconsumption of some fish can cause birth defects due to its mercury content. Stick to 12 ounces or less per week of low-mercury fish such as shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, or catfish, and avoid large ocean fish.

Vitamins and minerals

Prenatal vitamins

These are recommended daily starting 3 months before trying to get pregnant. Prenatal vitamins can supplement your diet and give your body the extra boost of vitamins and minerals required for healthy fetal growth.

Folic acid

This is a B-vitamin. When consumed in adequate amounts, folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube defects, which affect the brain and spine of a growing fetus. A standard prenatal vitamin contains the recommended 400 micrograms of folic acid. Some pregnant women may require more folic acid.

Calcium

Calcium is found in bones and teeth and is important for maintaining bone mass and for fetal development. It helps reduce the risk of preterm delivery. It’s best to obtain calcium from food sources such as dairy products, fortified cereals, and green vegetables like collard greens, kale, and cooked broccoli.

Iron

Iron helps oxygen get to your body’s tissues. Low iron can affect fetal growth and development. Iron can also be found in beef, fish, legumes, and enriched cereals. Women with iron-deficiency anemia or low iron may require a supplement to increase iron intake.

Things to avoid

Avoid any amount of alcohol and limit caffeine to less than 2 cups daily. Avoid raw fish, unpasteurized cheeses, herbal teas, and undercooked meats, seafood, or eggs. Monitor intake of vitamins A, D, E, and K as overly high doses can also cause birth defects.

As always, speak with your doctor about your diet and lifestyle to ensure you’re getting the nutrients you need from the right sources. If you’re trying to lose weight before or during pregnancy, be wary of exclusion diets that may eliminate entire food groups.

If you’re thinking about getting pregnant, seeking health care is an important first step.

Get started with Alpha today for pre-conception counseling suited to your needs. From consultation to prescription, we provide health care from the comfort of your home.