Is It Safe For A Pregnant Lady To Do The Atkins Diet?

Weight gain during pregnancy is necessary for a healthy baby, according to the American Pregnancy Association. However, if you were already overweight before you became pregnant, it is natural to be concerned about gaining even more. Some pregnant woman may feel the need to restrict their caloric intake by following a low carb diet such as the Atkins plan; however this is not recommended. The Atkins diet severely limits carbohydrate intake, which can harm both you and your baby during pregnancy.

Fetal Risks

The Induction Phase of the Atkins diet restricts carbohydrate intake in order to trigger ketosis, a metabolic state wherein the body burns fat for fuel as opposed to glucose. While this state generates significant weight loss, β-hydroxybutyrate -- one of the chemicals related to ketosis -- has been associated with decreases in fetal oxygenation and heart rate and may also place the baby at risk for congenital malformation, according to Carol J. Lammi-Keefe, Ph.D., co-author of "Handbook of Nutrition and Pregnancy."

Calcium & Folate

The Atkins diet limits the intake of milk products also, and this in turn may lead to weaker bones in your baby. The Atkins Diet may also limit the intake of nutrients such as folate, as some of the best sources of folate are found in carbohydrates. These include dark green vegetables like spinach and turnip greens, as well as citrus fruits. Folate is essential to the production of DNA and RNA -- the building blocks of cells -- during pregnancy.

Constipation and Hemorroids

Since the Atkins diet restricts fiber rich carbohydrates such as vegetables and fruit, this can place pregnant women more at risk for chronic constipation during pregnancy, according to Elena L. Serrano, associate professor of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise at Virginia Tech. Chronic constipation in turn can leave a pregnant women predisposed to hemorrhoids, one of the painful side effects of limited fiber intake.

Stress in Offspring

Low carb diets such as the Atkins followed in the late stages of pregnancy may lead to increased levels of stress and higher blood pressure in adult offspring. According to a 2007 study conducted by University of Edinburgh researchers and published in the "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism," the adult children of women who followed a high protein, low carbohydrate diet while pregnant exhibited a rise of 22 percent in their cortisol levels. The researchers concluded that an "unbalanced high protein maternal diet" leads to greater psychological stress in adult offspring.