Summary of Chapter 10 – Nutrition through the Life Span: Pregnancy and Infancy
Adequate nutrition before pregnancy establishes physical readiness and nutrient stores to support fetal growth. Both underweight and overweight women should strive for appropriate body weights before pregnancy. Newborns who weigh less than 51/2 pounds face greater health risks than normal-weight infants. The healthy development of the placenta depends on adequate nutrition before pregnancy.
Placental development, implantation, and early critical periods depend on maternal nutrition before and during pregnancy.
Pregnancy brings physiological adjustments that demand increased intakes of energy and nutrients. A balanced diet that includes more nutrient-dense foods from each of the five food groups can help to meet these needs.
Due to their key roles in cell reproduction, folate and vitamin B12 are needed in large amounts during pregnancy. Folate plays an important role in preventing neural tube defects.
All pregnant women, but especially those who are less than 25 years of age, need to pay special attention to calcium to ensure adequate intakes. Fluoride supplements are not recommended for pregnant women who drink fluoridated water, but for those who live in communities where the water is not fluoridated, a fluoride supplement may protect fetal teeth.
A daily iron supplement is recommended for all pregnant women during the second and third trimesters. Iron interferes with zinc absorption, so women taking iron supplements (more than 30 milligrams per day) may need zinc supplements as well.
Women most likely to benefit from multivitamin-mineral supplements during pregnancy include those who do not eat adequately, those carrying twins or triplets, and those who smoke cigarettes or are alcohol or drug abusers.
Food assistance programs such as WIC can provide nutritious food for pregnant women of limited financial means.
Weight gain is essential for a healthy pregnancy. A woman’s prepregnancy BMI, her own nutrient needs, and the number of fetuses she is carrying help to determine appropriate weight gain.
By remaining active throughout pregnancy, a woman can develop the strength she needs to carry the extra weight and maintain habits that will help her lose it after the birth.
Food cravings typically do not reflect physiological needs. The nausea, heartburn, and constipation that sometimes accompany pregnancy can usually be alleviated with a few simple strategies.
Conditions such as gestational diabetes, hypertension, and preeclampsia can threaten the health and life of both mother and infant. Such conditions require medical and nutrition treatment.
Abstaining from smoking and other drugs, including alcohol, limiting intake of foods known to contain unsafe levels of contaminants such as mercury, taking precautions against foodborne illness, avoiding large doses of nutrients, refraining from dieting, using artificial sweeteners in moderation, and limiting caffeine use are recommended during pregnancy.
Proper nutrition and adequate weight gain are especially important in reducing the risk of poor pregnancy outcome in adolescents.
The lactating woman needs enough energy and nutrients to produce about 25 ounces of milk a day. She also needs extra fluid. Alcohol, caffeine, smoking, and drugs may reduce milk production or enter breast milk and impair infant development. Some maternal illnesses are incompatible with breastfeeding.
The primary food for infants during the first 12 months is either breast milk or iron-fortified formula. In addition to nutrients, breast milk also offers immunological protection. At about four to six months, infants should gradually begin eating solid foods. By one year, they are drinking from a cup and eating many of the same foods as the rest of the family.