Pregnancy and lactation Flashcards
What are the nutrition stages of life?
- prior to pregnancy
- during pregnancy
- after pregnancy
At no stage of life is nutrition most crucial. When?
pregnancy and infancy
Adequate nutrition is essential for what from conception through the end of first year of age?
tissue formation, neurologic development, bone growth
Healthy development of the placenta depends on what?
adequate pre-pregnancy nutrition
What are the support tissues for the baby?
- uterus
- placenta
- umbilical cord
- amniotic sac
What is the first event of pregnancy?
fertilization and cell division
fertilized ovum (zygote)
- single cell that divides rapidly to become a blastocyst
What is the second event of pregnancy?
Implantation (during the first week)
- blastocysts embeds in the uterine wall
- placenta development begins
- crucial time for development
What happens at the first 6 weeks of pregnancy?
rapid physical changes of the embryo
What happens at 8 weeks?
- complete nervous and digestive symptoms
- well-defined fingers and toes
- facial features begin
What happens at the last 7 months
- cell division and development of organs
- 39-42 weeks for full gestation
What is the average birth weight?
6.8-7.9 pounds
When is the zygote development?
0-2 weeks
When is the embryo development?
- critical period
- 2-8 weeks
When do you see signs of placental formation?
4th week
What is embryogenesis?
rapid development stage
When is the fetus susceptible to nutrient deficiencies?
first trimester (13-14 weeks)
Why is folate crucial for pregnancy?
protein metabolism and DNA synthesis
- 400 µg/day (prior pregnancy)
- 600 µg/day if pregnant
Which type is better synthetic folate or dietary?
1.7 times more bioavailable than dietary folate
when is taking folate the most crucial?
first 28 days after conception
What happens when folate deficiency?
spina bifida
Epigenetics
genes can be turned on or off
what is the carb intake for pregnant women?
175 g per day
What is the primary metabolic fuel of the developing fetus?
Glucose
When is the amount of protein needed for pregnant women?
25 grams per day higher
than for non-pregnant women
What is a good source of lipids for pregnant women ?
oily fish consumption (sardines)
- low mercury fish
Folate intake should increase by what during pregnancy?
50%
What percentage of Vitamin B12 should be increased when pregnant?
8%
- regenerate the active form or folate
- meat, dairy, eggs
fetal demand for iron increases further when?
last trimester
Vitamin C protect from what?
free-radicals that are looking for damage
- citrus fruits, broccoli, kiwi
Lack of Vitamin A can cause what?
risk of cleft lip, heart defects, and abnormalities in the central nervous system
Vitamin D is important for what when pregnant?
calcium homeostasis ( bone develoment)
Lack of Vitamin D when pregnant can cause what?
preeclampsia, increase diabetes, asthma
What is preeclampsia?
pregnancy complication characterized by high blood
pressure and signs of damage to another organ system, often the kidneys.
If left untreated, it can progress to eclampsia, a condition characterized by
seizures and kidney failure and, if untreated, fetal and/or maternal death
