The Most Comprehensive Guide To Pregnancy Health

In the first 1,000 days of life, maternal and infant nutrition will affect the health of a person's life. 1000 days refers to the time period from pregnancy to 2 years old, which is enough to explain the importance of nutrition during pregnancy.

 It is precisely because of its importance that many people have become cautious, anxious, and supplementary. In fact, as long as the pregnant women have a certain understanding of some characteristics of pregnancy, and can adjust their diet and daily life according to their own conditions, they can enjoy this process well.

What changes will happen after pregnancy:

During pregnancy, in order to meet the growth and development needs of the fetus in the uterus, the mother's body will undergo some corresponding physiological changes:

1. The secretion of estrogen, progesterone, progesterone, etc. increases, the vitality of lymphocytes decreases, and the resistance will decrease accordingly;

2. The blood has a certain degree of dilution, which is prone to physiological anemia;

3. The filtration rate of the glomerular increases, and the reabsorption capacity of the renal tubules remains unchanged, resulting in an increase in urine output;

4. Stimulated by high levels of estrogen, gastrointestinal function is weakened, and pregnancy reactions such as nausea, vomiting, acid reflux, and indigestion may occur;

5. Obvious weight gain. If the weight is normal before pregnancy (BMI=18.5~23.9), the weight gain during pregnancy is 11.5-16 kg; if the weight is thin before pregnancy (BMI is less than 18.5), the weight gain during pregnancy is 12.5-18 kg; if you are overweight before pregnancy (BMI=25~29.9), The weight gain during the whole pregnancy is 7-11.5 kg; if the weight is normal before pregnancy (BMI≥30), the weight gain during the whole pregnancy is 5-9 kg.

What to pay attention to before pregnancy:

Prepregnancy refers to the 3 to 6 months before pregnancy. Although pregnancy is a very natural physiological process, a good preparation process will lay a solid foundation for the entire pregnancy. So what do you need to do to get pregnant?

1. Physical examination before pregnancy. It is mainly to check whether there are genetic diseases, blood routine, weight, etc.

2. Maintain a normal weight. People who are wasting, overweight, and obese need to start gaining or losing weight during pregnancy to reach normal weight. Weight loss will increase the chances of maternal and fetal malnutrition and anemia during pregnancy; while obesity will increase the difficulty of conception and increase the chance of huge babies.

3. Supplement iron, iodine, folic acid and other trace elements, and supplement 400ug folic acid supplements daily for the first 3 months of pregnancy to prevent fetal malformations.

4. Develop the habit of sticking to exercise. Ensure 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.

5. Work and rest regularly, go to bed early and get up early, don't stay up late, don't sleep well.

6. Both spouses must quit smoking and drinking.

Early pregnancy dietary health guidelines:

Early pregnancy refers to 1-12 weeks of pregnancy. There is little difference in diet and energy intake between early and prepregnancy. Therefore, you should not take a lot of supplements just after pregnancy. Just pay attention to the following points.

1. The food is light and easy to digest. Pregnancy reactions are prone to occur in the first trimester, and greasy and poorly digested foods will aggravate the reaction. Pregnancy reactions are generally more obvious in the morning and after meals, so try to reduce too thin foods in the morning and eat foods rich in carbohydrates and dry. After morning sickness, pay attention to replenish energy in time, and eat small meals. Keep milk, oats or oatmeal to ensure the supply of carbohydrates.

2. Supplement folic acid. Daily intake of 400ug of folic acid supplements can effectively prevent fetal malformations on the one hand, and on the other hand can reduce pregnancy reactions.

3. Supplement iron, iodine, zinc and other trace elements. The intake of zinc increased to 9.5 mg/day, and the intake of iodine increased to 230ug/day, so you need to eat more lean meat and seafood in your diet, animal offal 2-3 times a week, and iodized salt . In addition, there is currently no relevant research that proves that eating crabs and shrimps during pregnancy can cause fetus slippage, as long as they are fresh, sanitary, and cooked.

4. Exercise moderately. Under normal circumstances, the amount of exercise in the first trimester can be the same as before pregnancy. Brisk walking, jogging, yoga, and housework are all good choices. Do not exercise vigorously. Of course, if the doctor recommends more bed rest during the check-up, you still have to follow the doctor's advice.

5. Ensure a regular schedule and a comfortable mood

Dietary health guidelines in the second and 

third trimester of pregnancy:

The second trimester refers to 13-27 weeks of pregnancy. From the second trimester, fetal growth and brain development have entered a rapid development stage. The requirements for energy and various nutrients have also increased significantly. What are the changes?

1. Energy increase. The basal metabolism in the middle and late stages of pregnancy begins to increase, and the energy requirement increases to 2100kcal/day and 2250kcal/day, respectively.

2. Increase in protein intake. In the middle and late pregnancy, the development of the placenta, fetus, and pregnant women’s own tissues increases the body’s protein requirements to 70g/day and 85g/day, respectively. Therefore, the intake of meat, eggs, milk and soy products should be increased accordingly. Into.

3. The proportion of n-3 and n-6 ​​series polyunsaturated fatty acids in fat has increased. The overall fat intake remains unchanged, but the intake ratio of linoleic acid, linoleic acid, DHA and EPA should be increased to ensure the development of the fetal nervous system. Therefore, some nuts, eggs, beans and deep sea should be added to the diet. Fish food can also be supplemented with DHA supplements if necessary.

4. The intake of various minerals and vitamins has increased. The demand for calcium, iron, zinc, and selenium in the middle and late stages of pregnancy increases to varying degrees. Insufficient intake of iron and zinc not only affects the normal development of the fetus, especially iron, but also easily causes anemia in postpartum infants; extra care should be taken to ensure sufficient calcium Intake, the requirements for the second and third trimester of pregnancy are 800 mg/day and 1000 mg/day respectively. During pregnancy, the absorption of calcium by the fetus has priority over the absorption of calcium by the mother. Once the intake is insufficient, pregnant women will have cramps and other conditions. Calcium will dissolve out of bone to supplement blood calcium, which will increase the risk of osteoporosis in pregnant women. Foods rich in calcium are: milk, beans, green leafy vegetables, sesame paste, seafood and shellfish, etc. These foods should be increased in the diet.

Ensuring adequate intake of vegetables and fruits is the best way to obtain various vitamins, potassium, phosphorus and other minerals, especially the dark-colored fruits and vegetables are rich in carotene, which can be converted into vitamin A in the body , To maintain the normal development of the fetal optic nerve.

5. Check your weight every week to maintain normal weight gain. Pregnant women with a normal weight before pregnancy will gain about 12 kg during the whole pregnancy, and there will be almost no major changes in the weight of the first trimester. From the second trimester, the average weight gain per week is about 400g. It is recommended that pregnant women in the middle and third trimesters do a weight test, not too fast gaining weight, otherwise it will increase the pregnant women’s "three highs" and huge babies, and the chances of the babies born to suffer from the "three highs" as adults will increase.

6. Try not to drink strong tea and strong coffee, quit smoking and drinking, and stay away from second-hand smoke. Pregnant women can drink coffee, but it should be light and not too much. One cup a day is not a problem.

7. Exercise moderately. Pregnant women in the middle and late stages of pregnancy should pay attention to doing some low-intensity activities, walking, yoga, housework within their capacity, and moderate exercise are conducive to a smooth delivery.