Page 73 - MHF-FeedingMinds-final.indd

64 3.2 Pregnancy

Table 3.2.1 Recommended daily intake for women during pregnancy

Food groups Recommended daily intake

Group 1: Bread, rice, potatoes Base each meal and some snacks on these foods. Use wholegrain varieties as
and pasta and other starchy often as possible
foods
Include 1 or more of these at each meal and aim for at least 5 portions per day
Group 2: Fruit and vegetables
2–3 portions of milk, cheese, yogurt. Use low-fat varieties if weight gain needs
Group 3: Milk, cheese and to be limited
yogurt
2–3 portions. 2 servings of fish per week are recommended, 1 of which should
Group 4: Meat, fish, eggs, be oily fish
nuts and pulses
Limit these to small quantities and not to be eaten in place of the other 4 food
Group 5: Foods and drinks groups. For those trying to lose weight limit them to about 2 small portions per
high in fat and/or sugar day

Fluids About 6–8 drinks per day (1½–2 litres) will provide adequate fluid to prevent
dehydration. This includes all drinks: water, tea, coffee, milk, soup, fruit juices,
squashes and fizzy drinks. More drinks may be needed in hot weather and after
physical activity

Recommended daily intakes for women during ●● 400 µg (0.4 mg)/day for all other women. These
pregnancy are outlined in Table 3.2.1. supplements are available over the counter and
on prescription, but it is cheaper to buy them
Key Nutrients During Pregnancy over the counter.

Certain key nutrients are commonly low in women Mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid has
and they need extra consideration during been debated in the UK but has not been
pregnancy to ensure good pregnancy outcomes. recommended despite the example of a fall in NTD
They are: rates of up to 40 per cent in the United States and
Canada where flour has been fortified with folic
●● folate acid for over 10 years.
●● vitamin D
●● iron Dietary folates
●● omega 3 fatty acids Folate is the form of folic acid found in food. The
●● calcium. folate content of food decreases with long storage
times and heat. Cooking may cause a considerable
Folate, folic acid and neural tube reduction in the folate content of food. As the
defects current average intake from diet is about 200 µg per
day, women who may become pregnant should aim
Research has shown a link between low folic acid/ to increase their dietary intake of folate, in addition
folate intakes and the development of neural tube to the folic acid supplement, by:
defects (NTDs) (Medical Research Council Vitamin
Study Group 1991). To reduce the risk of NTDs, ●● eating more folate-rich foods
supplementation with folic acid prior to conception
and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy is ●● avoiding overcooking folate-rich foods
recommended. There are two dose levels:
●● choosing breads and breakfast cereals fortified
●● 5 mg/day (prescription only) for women with with folic acid.
spina bifida, with a history of a previous child
with an NTD or with diabetes Foods rich in folate include:

●● yeast extract

●● pulses – peas and beans