Essential Nutrients During Pregnancy Phase-Wise

It’s always important to eat a balanced diet — and it becomes even more important when you’re pregnant because what you eat, is the main source of nutrients for your baby. It has been observed that many women don’t get enough iron, folate, calcium, vitamin D, or protein during their pregnancy due to imbalanced diets. Hence, pregnancy demands a diet which will consist of the required calcium, vitamins and minerals to keep your baby healthy. Most women can meet the needs with a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins.

With pregnancy comes a lot of responsibilities. To know the correct things to do all these 9 months, get a proper consultation and guidance from Top Obstetrician in Delhi.

Week 1 to Week 10

1.Folic Acid is the key ingredient helps in the formation of your baby's heart and circulatory system. It also helps in the formation of your baby’s spine as well as prevents birth defects .

2.Vitamin C should is important 3rd month onwards. This is the best antioxidant which enhances the immunity of the bodyincreases the rate of iron absorption.

3.Calcium helps in bone and teeth development. Potassium maintains the fluid balance in the body cells and also regulates the blood pressure.

4.Cobalamin deficiency make baby to have neural tube defects.

5.Iodine, DHA, Vitamin B6 and Fibre is also important. They help in brain and nervous system development, visual and mental development, prevents nausea and vomiting and prevents glucose intolerance

Week 11 to Week 20

1.Vitamin A is a powerful and essential nutrient that helps in cell division and cell growth.

2.Vitamin D enhances the calcium intake and also accelerates bone development of the baby.

3.Magnesium, Thiamine, Zinc, Vitamin K, Vitamin B3 and Iron are help in controlling the blood sugar level, helps in brain development of the body and strengthens the immune system.

Week 21 to Week 30

The most important ingredients during this phase would include Phosphorus (important in muscle movement, blood clotting, kidney functions and nerve functions of the baby), protein (building block of human cells), sodium (controls the body fluid), Vitamin E, Manganese, Selenium, Biotin, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Pantothenic Acid and Choline. These would provide the required nourishments that are vital for you and your baby's development.

Week 31 to Week 40

Protein, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Iron, Calcium, Omega 6 Fatty Acid, Copper and Fibre are the most important components during this phase of pregnancy. Also don’t forget to keep yourself super hydrated.

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, teeth, and bones; assistance with iron absorption	citrus fruit, broccoli, tomatoes, fortified fruit juices
Vitamin B6	red blood cell formation; effective use of protein, fat, and carbohydrates	pork, 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 production, effective enzyme function	green leafy vegetables, dark yellow fruits and vegetables, beans, peas, nuts
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.)

Motherhood is beautiful and you should enjoy it to the fullest. As important is it to plan for your baby’s perfect delivery, it is also important for your pregnancy journey to be perfect. For every guidance and every question to be answered book consultations with Saroj Hospital, Best Super Specialty Hospital in Delhi.