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70 3.2 Pregnancy
(Stevens-Simon and McAnarney 1988). The shorter Vegetarian women who avoid red meat need
the length of time between the onset of menarche to eat three servings of foods from food group 4
and pregnancy, the greater the nutritional risk. In in the ‘eatwell plate’ (see page 64) to make sure
particular, teenagers will not have achieved their they are eating enough iron. Vegetarian women
peak bone mass and should be encouraged to eat at eating two servings of fish per week and three
least three servings of calcium-rich foods each day, servings daily of milk, cheese and yogurt will
such as milk, cheese, yogurt and calcium-enriched have adequate calcium, vitamin B12 and omega 3
soya milk. intakes.
Around 75 per cent of adolescent pregnancies Pregnant women who follow a vegan diet
are unplanned and teenagers are therefore unlikely normally avoid all sources of animal foods,
to be taking folic acid and vitamin D supplements including milk and milk products, eggs, meat and
prior to conception or in early pregnancy. fish. They should take care to ensure that they
consume sufficient:
Pregnant teenage girls under the age of 18 years
are eligible to join the Healthy Start scheme ●● iron from good sources such as nuts, pulses and
regardless of their financial circumstances (www. fortified breakfast cereals
healthystart.nhs.uk). If they join they are entitled
to receive free vitamin supplements of folic acid ●● vitamin B12 from good sources such as fortified
and vitamin D along with vouchers to purchase yeast extracts, fortified soya milk, fortified
milk, fruit and vegetables. textured soya protein and fortified cereals (if
these are not included in the diet a vitamin B12
Vegetarian and vegan women supplement may be needed)
Many vegetarian and vegan women have significantly ●● omega 3 – by including walnuts and walnut or
better diets than those of non-vegetarian women, but rapeseed oil on a daily basis or taking an omega
those particularly at risk are: 3 supplement (see page 67)
●● those, often adolescents, who have decided to ●● calcium from fortified soya milk each day or
avoid meat and other animal foods without taking a calcium supplement.
taking care to ensure alternative sources of
nutrients found in meat Women who have previously had a
low-birthweight baby
●● recent immigrants who may not be able to access
the foods they would have eaten in their country It is important to ascertain whether or not the
of origin. cause of the reduced birthweight in a previous
pregnancy had a nutritional component such as
A study of pregnant vegetarian women of Asian poor gestational weight gain and/or a reduced food
background living in the UK in the 1990s found intake. Short birth intervals predispose to lower
(Reddy et al. 1994): birthweights because women may not have had
time to replenish their nutrient stores between
●● shorter duration of pregnancy pregnancies, particularly if they have breastfed
their babies (Allen 2005).
●● more emergency caesarean sections
Women who are homeless, living in
●● lower birthweight bed and breakfast accommodation
or on low incomes
●● shorter body length
These women may have the combined difficulty of
●● smaller head circumference. living on state benefits and living with limited
Before and during pregnancy, more care needs to
be taken to ensure adequate intakes of iron, omega
3 fats, riboflavin, calcium and vitamin B12.
