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World of Woman
Ideal nutrition during journey of motherhood
Health Watch
By Dr Sharda Jain
Pregnancy is the most fascinating time of a woman?s life. This phase is also the most nutritionally demanding. The woman has to take care of not only her own nutritional requirements but also those of the unborn child growing rapidly inside her.
India is home to 414 million children and nearly 26 million children are born every year in the country?more than in any other country.
Pregnancy is the most fascinating time of a woman?s life. This phase is also the most nutritionally demanding. The woman has to take care of not only her own nutritional requirements but also those of the unborn child growing rapidly inside her.
It is well known that poor nutrition can lead to small babies and even birth defects and can have serious consequences upon both mother and baby. There is a very high prevalence of undernourishment amongst non pregnant women in India. Nearly 50 per cent have significant malnourishment. On the other hand, pregnancy brings with it additional demands, which further deplete her store of essential nutrients. Hence, Indian pregnant women need more of almost every vitamin and mineral than women who are not pregnant. However, far from being a time for overindulgence, pregnancy is a time to eat sensibly and healthily. It is a myth that a pregnant woman should eat for two. In fact, she should eat for one plus one very small being. Most women only need to consume an extra 300 calories per day.
Adequate nutrition begins before pregnancy. The B-vitamins, folic acid, zinc, protein and omega-3 fatty acids are essential prior to conception and in the first trimester when initial organ development is underway. During pregnancy calories, protein and fluid intake are of paramount importance. Following birth, the mother?s recovery is dependent on the nutrients available to repair tissue, nourish her organs and support breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is very essential for Indian children.
Question is often asked what is the ideal nutrition during pregnancy?
The growth nutrient
Protein is necessary for growth of the uterus, placenta and breast tissue, for production of amniotic fluid and a 40 per cent or more increase in maternal blood volume, for storage reserves for labour, birth and breastfeeding, and to facilitate rapid fetal tissue growth. Thus during pregnancy and nursing period there is significant protein demands.
The quantity of proteins in a pregnant or lactating woman?s diet is very crucial. An optimum quantity of protein that is less than 20 per cent of the caloric requirements in a pregnant woman?s diet is ideally recommended. High protein supplements may have to be taken if the daily requirement is not met by diet alone. Care should be taken not to exceed the recommended amount of protein and excessive protein consumption may be detrimental to the health of both mother and baby. The note is important for our upper doss patient, who are obsessed with proteins.
Since quality of protein is another critical factor and ideally the nutritional supplement should have a 100 per cent amino acid score, which means that it should provide all the required essential amino acids (the basic structural building units of proteins) in required quantity. Some of the high protein supplements have very poor quality proteins since they are made of ground nut and are thus not desirable during pregnancy, as their protein content is very high.
The fat component of diet
Indians put lot of emphasis on fat component of diet. Fats are sources of essential fatty acids, an important dietary requirement. For the unborn child, maternal supplies are the only source of fatty acids. Among the fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids, especially Docosa-hexaenoic Acid (DHA), should be an important constituent of diet during pregnancy. Insufficient levels of DHA are associated with impaired vision, nervous system disorders of the baby, low birth weight and premature delivery. Supplementation of maternal intake of omega-3 fatty acids has been shown to increase fetal DHA levels.
Fish is considered an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. However, it is important to know where the fish comes from and whether there is any contamination associated with those waters, particularly mercury or lead, which can harm the baby?s brain or nervous system. Eggs and organ meats have a small amount of DHA in them, but the richest source of dietary DHA is seafood. Marine algae is one of the few good sources of DHA from vegetarian source.
As the development of brain is the fastest during fetal life and the first two years after birth, the requirement of DHA is the maximum during pregnancy and nursing.
A mother transfers all of the DHA needed for development to her baby for fetal brain, eye, and central nervous development. The content of DHA in a mother?s diet will determine the amount of DHA passed on to the developing baby.
Studies have shown that children of mothers who take a DHA supplement during pregnancy have a higher IQ than others. Similarly, a child?s vision is also positively affected through the intake of DHA while nursing.
The vitamineral factor
Adequate levels of all vitamins and minerals are important in pregnancy. Minerals required by the body are iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, sodium, potassium and iodine.
Since it is difficult to get adequate quantity of all essential vitamins, minerals during pregnancy and breastfeeding, a good nutritional supplement would help to obtain optimal levels of vitamins, minerals and other antioxidants. Moreover, since 70 per cent of the baby?s brain growth takes place in the womb, the importance of taking a balanced nutritious diet with supplements of brain-friendly nutrients (especially DHA) during pregnancy cannot be overemphasised.
(The writer is chairperson of IMA?s women wing.)
Quick nutrition tips for pregnant women
- Most women only need to consume an extra 300 calories per day.
- The ideal protein supplement in her diet should have a good quality protein, determined by 100 per cent amino acid score.
- There is evidence that DHA supplementation helps improve gestational age and also reduces the chances of pre-term delivery.
- Children of mothers who took DHA supplements during pregnancy had a higher IQ than others.
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