Fetal growth rate increases significantly during the second trimester. When you're pregnant, the food you eat fuels your baby's developing body in addition to your own. Since protein is what cells use to grow, you need to make sure you're getting plenty of it from healthy sources.
Second Trimester
The second trimester of pregnancy is a time of tremendous growth for your developing fetus. While most of the organs form during the first trimester, many start functioning in the second. At this point, your baby is still quite small -- a bit more than 2 lbs., say Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel in their book "What To Expect When You're Expecting." This reflects notable growth, however, considering that the fetus weighs less than 2 oz. at the end of the first trimester.
Protein
Protein is one of the three macronutrient compounds, molecules that your cells can burn for energy. Protein is more than just a source of energy, however. When you digest it, you break it into building block molecules called amino acids, which your cells can make into communication molecules, or use to make their own proteins. Your developing baby needs plenty of protein to grow new tissues, organs and cells.
Quantity of Protein
Your individual protein needs will depend upon your pre-pregnancy weight status -- the rate at which you're gaining weight -- as well as your activity level. Most women, however, need 75 to 100 g of protein a day, explains the American Pregnancy Association. Not only does this protein help your developing fetus to grow, it also allows your own body to make new cells. For instance, during the second trimester, you make many red blood cells which you then use to deliver oxygen to your fetus.
Sources
You can get protein in your diet in several ways. Animal sources -- meat, milk and eggs among them -- are excellent sources of complete protein, which means they contain all the amino acids your cells need to make their own proteins. You can also get protein from vegetable sources, however, such as legumes and beans. Tofu and other soy products also contain protein, though you'll need to combine different vegetables in order to get all the amino acids.
References
- "What to Expect When You're Expecting"; Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel; 2008
- American Pregnancy Association: Protein
