Nutrition Recommendations in Pregnancy and Lactation

Pregnancy creates conditions similar to those experienced during starvation on an accelerated timeline. As such, increased caloric consumption is crucial, particularly during the second and third trimesters. Pregnancy alters the recommended macronutrient intake as well; pregnant women should consume 60 grams of protein per day, increasing from an average of 46 grams of protein per day for non-pregnant women. In addition to impacting a woman’s health, poor maternal nutritional health is associated with abnormal fetal growth and neurological development.