Nutrients need during pregnancy... let's eat healthy food for our fetus.

#wordlesswednesday!

1. Need for energy
- energy requirement increase due to increase maternal body mass and fetal growth.
- 1/3 of calorie need in pregnancy related to increase work of heart.
- another 1/3 needs for respiration and accretion of breast tissue, uterine muscle,placenta.
- second trimester; energy is added 360kcal/day
- third trimester; energy is added 470 kcal/day

2.Need for carbohydrate
- minimum 175g in order to meet fetal's brain need for glucose.

3.Alcohol
- if ingested, it'll pass thru placenta to fetus and can interrupt normal growth and development.
- lead to abnormal mental development.
- NO clearly defined safe level of alcohol intake during pregnancy.
- DON'T TAKE!

4.Protein
- +25g/day or 71g/day or 1.1g/day x body weight (for age 14 years old and above)
-Protein requirement increase due to protein tissue accretion
-RNI Malaysia, added 7.5g/day of protein

5.Fat:
-33% of total calories from fat
- it is required for fetal growth and development.
-13g/day (linoleic acid) - safflower,corn oil, sunflower oil, soy oil.
-1.4g/day(alpha linolenic acid) - flaxseed, walnut, soybean, canola oil and leafy green veggies.
- second trimester - 54-82g/d
- third trimester - 57-85g/day

sources: Nutrition across lifespan and Recccomended Nutrient Intake for Malaysia.