NUTRITION FOR PREGNANCY IN 9 MONTHS OF GESTATIONAL PREGNANCY

Nutrition principles pregnant women need to remember

During pregnancy, the mother's energy and nutrient needs are higher than normal to develop some organs of the body to adapt to pregnancy and nurture a healthy fetus. To build a scientific diet, mothers need to note the following basic principles:

1. Balance the group of nutrients

The diet of pregnant women needs to promote 4 essential groups of substances:

• Carbohydrates (carbohydrates);
• Protein (protein);
• Fats (lipids);
• Vitamins, fiber and minerals

However, building a balanced menu of substances is very important to avoid lack of energy causing fetal malnutrition or excess energy causing the mother to gain excessive weight.

During pregnancy, pregnant women gain an average of 9-12 kg, of which the first trimester should increase from 300 grams to 1 kg, then each week will increase about 300 grams in the second and third trimesters.

Energy and nutritional needs for pregnant women by stage – Source: Nutrihome

For pregnant women with twins, the weight index needs to be higher and the doctor will give different recommendations for the rate of weight gain.

"Gaining too much or too little is also a problem that makes many pregnant women worry, but instead of focusing on weight, mothers should eat a variety of foods, have healthy activities and keep their spirits stable and relaxed" – Dr. Luu Thi Hong emphasized.

2. Fully supplemented with vitamins and minerals

For healthy growth and development of the fetus, it is extremely important to ensure a scientific and healthy pregnancy nutrition , in which vitamin and mineral supplementation for pregnant women is a prerequisite to prevent deficiency micronutrients due to increased nutritional requirements during pregnancy and ensure the health of both mother and baby. (1)

• Acid Folic

When preparing to become pregnant or just found out that she is pregnant, pregnant women need to take folic acid supplements to help prevent neural tube defects for their babies. Folic acid supplementation can last until the end of the first 3 months of pregnancy. In addition, the daily menu needs to add foods rich in folic acid such as broccoli, spinach, milk and dairy products, raw cereals, avocados... 

• Canxi

Calcium not only helps build strong bones, but also helps the circulatory, muscular and nervous systems of pregnant women and fetuses work properly. Therefore, pregnant mothers need to pay attention to supplementing with 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day. Foods rich in calcium include: milk, broccoli, kale, fruit juices, cereals ...

• Vitamin D

Pregnant women should supplement foods such as salmon, milk, orange juice ... to enhance vitamin D for themselves and support the bone development of the fetus. Many studies have also shown that if the mother is deficient in vitamin D, it is easy to lead to preeclampsia.

• Protein

Protein is necessary for the development of the baby's tissues and organs, especially the brain; At the same time, it supports the development of breast tissue and the mother's uterus during pregnancy. It even plays an important role in increasing the blood supply to the fetus. Lean meat, poultry, fish and eggs are excellent sources of protein. In addition, pregnant mothers can also choose nuts, beans, and soy products to supplement protein during pregnancy, ensuring the healthy development of their babies.     

• Sắt

During pregnancy, the mother's blood volume increases by 50% to increase the amount of blood that nourishes the fetus. Therefore, pregnant women need to provide 1000 mg of iron/day to increase the mother's blood volume, provide enough blood for the fetus and compensate for the blood loss at birth.

In Vietnam, according to the 2009-2010 nutritional census, the rate of anemia in pregnant women is 36.5%, the highest in the Northern mountainous and South Central Coast regions is up to 56%, 71.8 % anemia in pregnant women is caused by iron deficiency. Pregnant women should supplement iron through foods such as red meat, eggs, water spinach, beets... and drink more vitamin C-rich juices to enhance iron absorption. (2)

3. Exercices

In addition to the diet for pregnant women, exercise is also an important way to strengthen the mother's health during pregnancy, but it is necessary to pay attention to the duration of exercise and avoid too strong movements. According to many medical studies, exercise helps mothers and fetuses stay healthy, fight diseases such as colds...; and at the same time give birth more easily and give birth to a healthy baby. Pregnant women can do gentle exercises and walk for 15 to 20 minutes a day depending on their health status.

4. Food to avoid

During each stage of fetal development , pregnant women need a suitable diet for optimal fetal development. But whether in the first 3 months , the second 3 months or the last 3 months, the mother's menu should avoid the following foods and drinks:        

• Alcohol

A serious consequence of alcohol consumption during pregnancy is Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). It is a lifelong disease that causes poor fetal growth (in the womb, after birth, or both), abnormal facial features, heart defects, and damage to the nervous system. center. Babies with FASD can also have abnormally small heads and brains, and other birth defects, especially of the heart and spine.

• Fish with high levels of mercury

Seafood such as swordfish, shark, collected , sardines, shark Orange and fish tiles have high levels of methyl mercury, which can cross the placenta and harm the brain, kidneys and nervous system fetal development.

• Raw or undercooked fish, meat, eggs

The raw food can be contaminated, potentially causing some infections and lead to premature birth, miscarriage pregnancy , stillbirth, and serious health problems other pregnant women. Eating undercooked meat also increases the risk of infection. The bacteria can threaten the health of an unborn baby, which can lead to stillbirth or serious neurological diseases, including intellectual disability, blindness, and epilepsy.

• Caffeine

Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, soft drinks and cocoa. High caffeine intake during pregnancy has been shown to limit fetal growth and increase the risk of low birth weight. It also increases the risk of infant mortality and risk of disease chronic calculated in adulthood.

• Milk, unpasteurized fruit juice, cheese

Raw milk, cheese, and unpasteurized juice can contain a host of harmful bacteria that can lead to life-threatening infections in your unborn baby.

• Unwashed product

The surface of fruits and vegetables unwashed or unpeeled may be infected with a number of bacteria, parasites, harmful preservatives for both mother and fetus. To minimize the risk of infection, do not forget to wash and peel fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating. 

• Convenience food

Map eating junk often prepared with less nutrients and more calories, sugar. They increase the risk of diabetes gestational period, as well as complications of pregnancy or birth. This causes long-term health problems for young children.

Nutrition for pregnant women according to each month

Here are important notes on what to eat during pregnancy according to each trimester of pregnancy.  

1. Nutrition in the first 3 months (1st trimester)

In the first 3 months of pregnancy, many pregnant women have morning sickness, always feel uncomfortable, even nauseous whenever they see food. But because this is the stage when most of the important organs of the embryo are formed, even if you can't eat much, you still need to ensure a nutritious diet by eating a variety of foods, especially eating healthy foods. lots of vegetables, fruits… 

If the pregnant mother did not take folic acid before becoming pregnant, from the first day she knew she was pregnant, it should be supplemented immediately. The recommended dosage is 400 mcg/day. Besides, iron and calcium also need to be fortified during 9 months of pregnancy to avoid anemia and osteoporosis for the mother later. Pregnant women can use multivitamins containing folic acid, iron and calcium as prescribed by the doctor.

The fetus in this period is very sensitive to external agents such as bacteria, viruses, alcohol, drugs, stimulants, chemicals... Therefore, pregnant women need to abstain from using or being exposed to these agents and establish and maintain a healthy diet during pregnancy .

Taking medicine in the first 3 months should be especially careful as prescribed by the doctor to avoid adverse effects on the development of the fetus. In fact, many unfortunate cases have happened such as the mother arbitrarily taking antibiotics when she had a cold in the first 3 months or being infected with the Rubella virus causing birth defects... To reduce the risk of infectious diseases, the mother Pregnant women should be vaccinated before becoming pregnant and during pregnancy fully, and at the same time, limit going to crowded places.   

In addition, performing the necessary tests during pregnancy also helps pregnant women quickly detect common pregnancy diseases.  

2. Nutrition in the 2nd trimester (2nd trimester) 

This is the most comfortable time in the 9 months and 10 days of pregnancy, most pregnant women no longer suffer from morning sickness, so eating and drinking feel more delicious. On the fetal side, at this time, the skeletal system is developing strongly, the brain and organs are also gradually perfecting their functions. Therefore, in addition to folic acid, iron, calcium, pregnant women need to supplement with zinc-containing foods, the dosage is 20mg/day. The lack of zinc causes pregnant unborn lightweight, low height, deformities...  

Pregnant women should not think that they have to eat twice or 3 times as usual to have a "big baby" because at this time the fetus has not yet entered the "breakthrough" period in terms of weight (up to 26 weeks of age, the fetus is only heavy). about 900g). As recommended, in the second trimester of pregnancy, pregnant women only need to increase their food intake to about 300-400 kcal/day (equivalent to 2 cups of white rice or 2 glasses of milk).

If the mother eats and drinks too much, the mother's excessive weight gain not only affects her body shape, postpartum psychology but also increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and pre-eclampsia during pregnancy.

3. Nutrition in the last 3 months (3rd trimester)

The last 3 months of pregnancy marks a remarkable growth in fetal weight. In order for the fetus to gain weight well, pregnant women need to pay attention to increasing the diet by about 400 kcal/day.

At this time, pregnant women need to supplement vitamin C for the body, in order to better absorb iron and calcium, and avoid the risk of rupture of membranes and premature birth (due to vitamin C deficiency).

In the last 3 months, due to hormonal changes and the large fetus put pressure on the pelvis and bladder, pregnant women often experience constipation and bloating. To avoid this situation, the diet for pregnant women should be rich in fiber and avoid eating foods that are difficult to digest.  

Thus, in the journey of 9 months of pregnancy , there are periods when pregnant women do not need to increase their diet compared to normal but should focus on the group of supplements. In addition, for pregnant women with many risks during pregnancy, vegetarian mothers..., the pregnancy nutrition regime also needs to be "designed" carefully and in detail week by week to both ensure the health of the mother, while helping the fetus develop optimally. 

Misconceptions about diet for pregnant women

According to Assoc. Prof. TS.BS Luu Thi Hong, the mother's diet during pregnancy contributes greatly to the development of the child's stature and intelligence. Therefore, in addition to adequate nutrition, mothers need to avoid the following mistakes so that their children can develop comprehensively.  

1. Fasting eat when sickness

Vomiting due to morning sickness often occurs during pregnancy, making many pregnant women uncomfortable and tired. Many people believe that, when fasting, the body is not loaded with food will not vomit anymore. However, this is a great influence on the health of both mother and fetus unborn, can cause depletion mother and fetus retardation. To reduce morning sickness, instead of fasting, she elected to split meals to eat and change the way food processing.

2. Eat for two

With the idea that "pregnancy is eating for two", pregnant mothers often try to eat twice the amount of food or twice the energy needs than usual, eat a lot of delicious and nutritious dishes to make the baby healthy. . This leads to "unstoppable weight gain" in pregnant women, which increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, secondary infertility, depression and several other forms of cancer. Also, pregnant child to excessive labor also makes trouble. Gaining too much weight during pregnancy makes the postpartum weight loss journey more difficult and prolonged..

According to experts, during the first 3 months of pregnancy, women only need the same basic energy needs as before pregnancy. After that, pregnant women need to add 200 kcal/day in the second trimester and another 300 kcal/day in the third trimester to meet the fetal development. (3)

With a team of highly specialized and experienced professionals; system of high-class, modern facilities, meeting international standards, and modern equipment; quality medical services; professional staff; The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Tam Anh General Hospital always accompanies the best care for mother and baby from the pre-pregnancy stage, throughout pregnancy and after birth.