Potassium is a mineral necessary for maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance in your body's cells. Potassium plays a major role in sending nerve impulses throughout your body and assisting muscle contraction and energy release. Pregnant women need about as much potassium as most adults and nursing women require even more. Having too much or too little potassium in your diet can lead to potentially serious health conditions.
Health Benefits of Potassium
Potassium supports a number of bodily functions in pregnant women. In pregnant women and all other individuals, it assists in the regulation of the acid-base balance, protein synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism. Potassium also aids in muscle growth and normal electrical activity of the heart. According to a study performed by the "Journal of Maternal Fetal Neonatal Medicine," low potassium levels during the first four and a half months of pregnancy may increase the risk of gestational diabetes. These women may also be at an increased risk of developing pre-eclampsia, or abnormally high blood sugar during pregnancy. An adequate amount of potassium during pregnancy helps decrease the risk of prenatal complications in both the mother and child.
Daily Needs
A woman's blood volume expands by up to 50 percent when pregnant, so she requires slightly more electrolytes in the form of sodium, chloride and potassium to maintain a healthy chemical balance. Pregnant women need about 4.7 g of potassium and nursing mothers need approximately 5.1 g of potassium each day since potassium is lost in the breast milk.
Food Sources
Pregnant women who consume a well balanced diet most likely do not need to take a potassium supplement. Potassium-rich foods include fish, soy products, veggie burgers, broccoli, peas, lima beans, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squashes, citrus fruits, cantaloupe, bananas, kiwi, prunes, apricots, milk, yogurt and nuts.
Potassium Deficiency and Health Risks
Potassium deficiency is rarely caused by an individual's diet due to the vast quantity of potassium-rich foods. Possible causes for low potassium in pregnant women may be due to vomiting, diarrhea or a rare kidney or adrenal gland disorder. A small reduction in a pregnant woman's body's potassium levels can lead to salt sensitivity and high blood pressure, which can have negative effects on her heart health.
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