Maternal diet is very important before, during and after pregnancy to ensure the nutritional needs of both herself and her baby are met.
During pregnancy and lactation (breast-feeding) the mother’s nutritional requirements are temporarily increased.
Pregnant women require more energy (or calories) during the last trimester of pregnancy and more protein, vitamins A, C, D, and the B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin and folic acid throughout pregnancy and when breast-feeding, requirements for Vitamin B12, calcium, phosphorous and zinc are also increased.
Recommended amounts of nutrients per day for women aged 19-50 years
| Energy** (kcal/d) |
1940 |
2140* |
2390-2510 |
| Protein (g) |
45 |
51 |
56 (0-4 months)
53 (4+ months) |
| Calcium (mg) |
700 |
700 |
1250 |
| Phosphorus (mg) |
550 |
550 |
990 |
| Magnesium (mg) |
270 |
270 |
320 |
| Sodium (mg) |
1600 |
1600 |
1600 |
| Potassium (mg) |
3500 |
3500 |
3500 |
| Chloride (mg) |
2500 |
2500 |
2500 |
| Iron (mg) |
14.8 |
14.8 |
14.8 |
| Zinc (mg) |
7.0 |
7.0 |
13 (0-4 months)
9.5 (4+ months) |
| Copper (mg) |
1.2 |
1.2 |
1.5 |
| Selenium (μg) |
60 |
60 |
75 |
| Iodine (μg) |
140 |
140 |
140 |
| Vitamin A (μg) |
600 |
700 |
950 |
| Thiamin (mg) |
0.8 |
0.9* |
1.0 |
| Riboflavin (mg) |
1.1 |
1.4 |
1.6 |
| Niacin (mg) |
13 |
13 |
15 |
| Vitamin B6 (mg) |
1.2 |
1.2 |
1.2 |
| Vitamin B12 (μg) |
1.5 |
1.5 |
2.0 |
| Folate*** (μg) |
200 |
300 |
260 |
| Vitamin C (mg) |
40 |
50* |
70 |
| Vitamin D (μg) |
No RNI |
10 |
10 |
* Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) is given for energy. The other values are Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNIs) - the amount estimated to be sufficient for 97% of a specified population group.
** Last trimester (final three months) only.
*** Folate supplementations are recommended in addition to dietary intakes in women wishing to conceive and during pregnancy.
Although a greater amount of nutrients are needed from the diet, a mothers body is also able to cleverly adapt itself to use the nutrients it receives more efficiently by absorbing more from the digestive system and reducing wastage.
