Although everyone should make sure to get enough protein, this nutrient is especially important during pregnancy. Protein acts as the building blocks of cells, and not getting enough might impair the proper growth and development of your unborn baby. This could result in your baby having a low birth weight. While most women need only about 45 grams of protein a day, pregnant women should get at least 70 grams. Failing to get enough protein on a regular basis during pregnancy can result in a protein deficiency.
Symptoms of Protein Deficiency
Since your body is unable to store protein, you must supply it with the nutrient from the foods you eat. Muscle fatigue or tiredness, weight loss, severe fluid retention and frequent infections are some signs that you are not getting enough protein. If you are concerned that you might have a protein deficiency, contact your obstetrician as soon as possible.
Groups at Risk
Pregnant women who have severe morning sickness, known as hyperemesis gravidarum, might be unable to consume an adequate amount of food and develop a protein deficiency. These women require hospitalization, intravenous fluids or tube feeding to restore nutrients to their body. Pregnant women who are vegetarians or vegans also might have more difficulty than others meeting their protein requirements.
Considerations
It might be wise to monitor your daily nutritional intake of protein. You typically can find the amount of protein of a particular food on the nutrition label or by using an online nutritional database website like LIVESTRONG’s MyPlate. Although most people in the United States consume an appropriate amount of protein and are not at risk of a deficiency, focus on increasing your protein intake if you find yourself consistently consuming less than 70 grams of protein a day.
Food Sources of Protein
To prevent a protein deficiency, focus on eating plenty of protein-rich foods throughout the day. Meat and poultry often contain large amounts of protein in each serving. Dairy products also are good sources of protein, including milk, yogurt, cheese and ice cream. Eggs, peanut butter, beans, nuts and legumes also tend to contain decent amounts of protein. While fish is another good source of protein, you need to be careful about which types of fish you consume while pregnant. While salmon and tuna are believed to be safe, shark, tilefish, king mackerel and swordfish contain high levels of mercury and should be avoided. Although research is conflicting, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency all recommend that pregnant women limit their weekly fish consumption to 12 ounces, according to MayoClinic.com. Always talk to your doctor if you have questions about the safety of a certain food during pregnancy.
