Because you are your developing fetus' sole source of nutrition during your pregnancy, what you eat has a significant effect on the fetus' health. Based upon the healthfulness -- or lack thereof -- of your diet, you can help to ensure that your baby gets a good start in life or can expose it to toxins that might lead to developmental defects.
Good Diet
The best diet during pregnancy is high in nutrients and low in empty calories, including calories from added sugars and fats. You need lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and healthy fats from plant sources, explains Dr. Miriam Stoppard in her book "Conception, Pregnancy and Birth." Eating well ensures you get plenty of vitamins and minerals, which promotes your own cellular health and also promotes good fetal growth.
Nutritional Deficits
If you don't eat enough calories, you risk a low birth weight baby, explain Drs. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz in their book "You: Having A Baby." This predisposes your child to a number of other negative health outcomes. If you're deficient in vitamins and minerals, your baby can likewise suffer ill effects. For instance, maternal deficiency in folic acid early in pregnancy can cause neural tube deformities in a developing baby, which can lead to birth defects.
Unsafe Foods
What you don't eat is just as important as what you do eat, explain Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel in their book "What To Expect When You're Expecting." Avoid uncooked or undercooked meats, which can lead to bacterial infections that may cross the placenta. Alcohol isn't considered safe in any quantity, and you should avoid it through your pregnancy. Some large fish, including shark and swordfish, may be contaminated with mercury, which can hurt your baby's developing brain.
Overeating
Drs. Roizen and Oz point out that too much of a good thing can be as detrimental as not enough -- maternal overeating also negatively affects fetal outcomes. If you eat too much throughout your pregnancy -- particularly if you're making unhealthy food choices and are eating large quantities of processed and sugary or fatty foods -- you may be predisposing your developing baby to a lifetime of obesity. The best maternal diet is balanced with regard to both vitamins and calories.
References
- "Conception, Pregnancy and Birth"; Miriam Stoppard, M.D.; 2008
- "You: Having A Baby"; Michael Roizen, M.D., et al.; 2009
- "What to Expect When You're Expecting"; Heidi Murkoff, et al. ; 2008
