PREGNANT WOMEN Flashcards
NUTRITIONAL NEEDS:
- FOLIC ACID supplement for 1st 3 months
- Additional ENERGY & THAIMIN in last 3 months
- Sufficient energy/protein/calcium/iron/folate/vitc&d
- 400mg FOLIC ACID a day if trying to get pregnant
DIETARY NEEDS:
- No more than 4 cups coffee a day (caffeine should be limited)
- No alcohol
- No more than 2 portions oily fish a week
- No peanuts if history of allergies in family
- No liver products
- No cheese or unpasteurised milk
- Wash fruit & vegetables
- Cook meat/fish THOROUGHLY
- Healthy balanced diet
Why should fluid levels be high?
To prevent tiredness, headaches, maintain good bladder and kidney health
Why should liver products be avoided?
Due to the high Vit A content of liver… it can be harmful to the baby
Why should fruit and vegetables be washed thoroughly?
To prevent TOXOPLASMOSIS
Why should cheese & unpasteurised milk be avoided?
To prevent Listeria food poisoning
Why should folic acid be taken during the 1st 3 months of pregnancy?
To ensure correct development of the spine and brain and to reduce the risk of neural tube defects (SPINA BIFIDA)
What is SPINA BIFIDA?
The neural tube is the structure that eventually develops into the baby’s brain and spinal cord.
The neural tube starts to form in early pregnancy and closes about four weeks after conception.
In spina bifida, part of the neural tube doesn’t develop or close properly, leading to defects in the spinal cord and bones of the spine (vertebrae).
Why is calcium so important for pregnancy?
During pregnancy, the baby growing in its mother’s womb needs plenty of calcium to develop its skeleton. This need is especially great during the last 3 months of pregnancy. If the mother doesn’t get enough calcium, her baby will draw what it needs from the mother’s bones.
