Importance of taking nutritious food to the health of both mother and foetus during pregnancy

A pregnant mother must eat and drink to provide nourishment for the baby.Pregnant mother should consume more healthy food as it provide the nutrients that the baby needs,such as calcium that helps to make and keep bones and teeth strong. Therefore, pregnant mother needs to take in more essential nutrients than she did before.

On the other hand,pregnant mothers need to consume a balanced diet which contains proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and plenty of water.

Here are some of the most common nutrients that pregnant mothers need and the foods that contain them:

Nutrient Needed for Best sources

Protein cell growth and blood production

lean meat, fish, poultry, egg whites, beans, peanut butter, tofu

Carbohydrates daily energy production

breads, cereals, rice, potatoes, pasta, fruits, vegetables

Calcium strong bones and teeth, muscle contraction, nerve function

milk, cheese, yogurt, sardines or salmon with bones, spinach

Iron red blood cell production (to prevent anemia)

lean red meat, spinach, iron-fortified whole-grain breads and cereals

Vitamin A healthy skin, good eyesight, growing bones

carrots, dark leafy greens, sweet potatoes

Vitamin C healthy gums, citrus fruit, broccoli, tomatoes, fortified fruit juices

teeth, and bones; assistance with iron absorption

Vitamin B6 red blood cell formation; effective use of protein, fat, and carbohydrates

ham, whole-grain cereals, bananas

Vitamin B12 formation of red blood cells, maintaining nervous system health

meat, fish, poultry, milk(Note: vegetarians who don't eat dairy products need supplemental B12.)

Vitamin D healthy bones and teeth; aids absorption of calcium

fortified milk, dairy products, cereals, and breads

Folic acid blood and protein

green leafy vegetables, dark yellow fruits and vegetables, beans, peas, nuts

production, effective enzyme function

Fat body energy stores

meat, whole-milk dairy products, nuts, peanut butter, margarine, vegetable oils(Note: limit fat intake to 30% or less of your total daily calorie intake.)

Important nutrients

(a)Calcium

-Growing baby calcium demand are high,so pregnant mothers must increase the intake of calcium to prevent loss of calcium from the mother.

(b)Protein(Fish)

-Fish and shellfish can be an important part of a healthy diet. They are a great source of protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

(c)Vitamins and minerals

-Pregnant mothers should ask their doctor before taking a prenatal vitamin and mineral supplement every day to be sure they’re getting enough of the nutrients for the baby needs.

-Women who are pregnant need more of these nutrients than women who are not pregnant:

Nutrient How much pregnant women need each day

Folic acid 400 to 800 micrograms (mcg) (0.4 to 0.8 mg) in the early

stages of pregnancy, which is why all women who are

capable of pregnancy should take a daily multivitamin that

contains 400 to 800 mcg of folic acid. Pregnant women

should continue taking folic acid throughout pregnancy.

Iron 27 milligrams (mg)

Calcium 1,000 milligrams (mg); 1,300 mg if 18 or younger

Vitamin A 770 micrograms (mcg); 750 mcg if 18 or younger

Vitamin B12 2.6 micrograms (mcg)

(d) Vitamin D

-Women who are pregnant also need to be sure to get enough vitamin D. The current recommendation for all adults younger than 71 (including pregnant and breastfeeding women) is 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D each day.

-Vitamin D can be obtain through sunlight.

(e) Water

-A pregnant mother needs even more water to to stay hydrated and to support the baby.

-Water also helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, excessive swelling, and urinary tract or bladder infections.

-Pregnant mother should drink ten cups of fluids daily.

Effects of smoking on the foetus

A pregnant woman who smokes should quit smoking as soon as she knows she is going to have a baby. Cigarette smoke can cause complications to the mother during pregnancy, and affect the health and development of the foetus,such as:

(a)Miscarriage risk:

-A woman who smokes during pregnancy is at a much higher risk of having a miscarriage than a non-smoker. The risk of a baby being born dead is also higher among women who smoke during pregnancy.

-Will also leads to birth defects.

(b)Foetus Growth:

-Smoking by pregnant women causes a restriction of oxygen and nutrients to a foetus. This restriction leads to babies being born underweight and with all the associated risks of low birth-weight babies.

(c)Carbon monoxide

-When a pregnant woman smokes, she exposes her baby to harmful levels of carbon monoxide. This exposure leads to a lack of oxygen in the blood and an overabundance of red blood cells. Excess red blood cells can cause the blood of a baby to become too thick, and the baby could die.

(d)Damage to brain and nerves

-Prenatal cigarette smoking can cause nerve and brain damage to a foetus. Babies born to mothers who smoke may have behavioral and learning problems.

The importance of avoiding the intake of substances that are harmful to the foetusUsing alcohol and illegal drugs during pregnancy threatens the healthof the foetus. So does using legal drugs in an inappropriate way. When a pregnant mother use alcohol or drugs, the chemicals enter the placenta and into the foetus. This puts the foetus at risk for such problems as stillbirth, low birth weight, birth defects, behavioral problems, and developmental delays.

(a)Alcohol

- When you drink alcohol, so does your baby. Pregnant women should not drink alcohol to eliminate the chance of giving birth to a baby with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). FASD involves a range of harmful effects that can occur when a foetus is exposed to alcohol. Children born with a severe form of FASD can have abnormal facial features, severe learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and other problems .

(b)Illegal drugs

-Crystal Meth(a type of drug) causes the heart rate of both the mother and the baby to increase. Using meth in pregnancy can cause preterm birth, placental abruption and miscarriage.

- Babies born to mothers that are addicted to meth often show withdrawal symptoms after birth.

(c)Caffeine

- Caffeine can cross the human placenta, and the caffeine concentration in the fetus can reach as high as the mother’s

-Caffeine can increase the heart rate and the blood pressure of the foetus.

- Any amount of caffeine can also cause changes in your baby’s sleep pattern or normal movement pattern in the later stages of pregnancy.

Refrences

1)Science Form 3 textbook

2)www.Womens health.gov(http://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/you-are-pregnant/staying-healthy-safe.html)

3)http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_center/your_pregnancy/preg_health.html

4) http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/caffeine.html

5)Google image search