Pregnant Women's Nutritional Needs/Requirement?

Even though Pregnancy is an normal process of physiology, they increase considerably the Nutritional requirements of the Pregnant Women/Mother.  Due to frequent vomiting and loss of appetite during the early months of Pregnancy, the food intake is normally reduced.  Further, additional Nutrients are required for the growth of Fetus.  The baby weighing about 3.2 kg at birth will contain about 500 grams of protein, 30 grams of calcium, and 0.4 grams of iron and varying quantities of different vitamins.

The requirements of various Nutrients during Pregnancy are given below:

The total calorie cost of supplying and maintaining the Fetus has been estimated to be about 40,000 KCalories.  Since the greater part of calories will be required mostly during the second and third trimesters, the additional requirements will workout to 200 K calories per day. 

Available evidence would indicate about 910 grams of Proteins are deposited in the Fetus and maternal tissues during Pregnancy.  The average daily increment is estimated to be about 5 grams during the last six months of Pregnancy.  These will workout to 10 grams additional Proteins in terms of dietary Proteins. 

It has been expected that about 30 grams of calcium is deposited in the Fetus during Pregnancy.  This will workout to about 150 mg of extra calcium during the last six months of Pregnancy.  Since dietary calcium is utilized to the extent of about 25 percent in Pregnancy, the additional requirements will workout to 600 mg in terms of dietary calcium. 

It has been expected that about 540 mg Iron are found in the Fetus and maternal tissues.  This will workout to about 2 to 3 mg iron per day during the last six months of Pregnancy.  Since, the iron from diets is utilized only to an extent of about 20 percent in pregnant women, the extra dietary iron requirements will be about 10 to 15 mg per day.

The quantity of vitamin A found in the liver of infant is about 5400-7200 Mg(Microgram) of retinol and this will workout to about 25-35 Mg(Microgram) additional retinol per day.  Since the additional requirements are small as compared with the daily requirements of 750 Mg(Microgram)for a normal woman. 

Small quantities of Nicotinic acid, Riboflavin and Thiamine vitamins are present in the tissues of new born infants.  The extra calorie allowance of 300 K calories per day for pregnant women will need an increase in the requirements of these vitamins.

Small amounts of folic acid and B12 vitamin are present in the tissues of new born infants. 

Small amounts of Ascorbic acid are present in the tissues of new born infants.  Normal women would meet the additional requirements of 50 mg of Ascorbic acid during Pregnancy. 


Required Nutrients during Lactation Period / Lactating Mothers.