You've probably heard that nutrition is important during pregnancy, but you may not know just exactly how important it is -- or why. Looking at the statistics can give you an idea of what you need to eat -- and what you need to avoid -- in order to be as healthy as possible during your pregnancy and maximize your chances of giving birth to a healthy child.
Folic Acid Reduces Baby's Risk of Spina Bifida
One of the key ingredients in any prenatal vitamin -- and one of the most important vitamins you can take during your childbearing years -- is folic acid. This is a B vitamin that has many different roles in the body. During pregnancy, it helps your developing baby to produce the neural tube, which goes on to become the brain and spinal cord. Deficiencies in maternal folic acid -- particularly during the first eight to 12 weeks of pregnancy -- increase your child's risk of spina bifida. The Spina Bifida Association of Delaware Valley notes that with consumption of at least 400 mcg per day of folic acid before and during pregnancy, spina bifida incidence decreases by 70 percent.
Being Overweight Increases Risk of Gestational Diabetes
Both what you eat and how much you eat contribute to your body weight. If you're overweight before pregnancy or become overweight during your pregnancy, you increase your risk of gestational diabetes. A 2010 article published in the scientific journal "The American Journal of Public Health" finds that gestational diabetes affects 2.3 percent of normal weight pregnant women, 4.8 percent of overweight pregnant women, 5.5 percent of obese pregnant women, and 11.5 percent of extremely obese pregnant women. As such, controlling your weight is an important part of avoiding this pregnancy complication.
Drinking Increases Baby's Risk of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
You've most likely heard that alcohol isn't safe during pregnancy, but may not know why. There are several reasons to avoid alcohol while you're pregnant. The March of Dimes points out that women who binge drink -- defined as five or more drinks in a single session -- during their first four months of pregnancy have a 56 percent higher risk of stillbirth than those who don't binge drink. Additionally, drinking during pregnancy increases your baby's risk of fetal alcohol syndrome, a spectrum disorder that includes facial, intellectual, and developmental deficiencies.
References
- Spina Bifida Association of Delaware Valley: Spina Bifida
- "American Journal of Public Health;" Percentage of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Attributable to Overweight and Obesity; Shin Kim et al; April 2010
- March of Dimes: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
