Your patients’ may have broken every diet they’ve ever started but there’s little wiggle room when it comes to healthy eating during pregnancy.

There’s nothing like the wellbeing of their unborn baby to keep patients motivated when changing their eating habits. “Pregnancy is the critical window in which nutrition impacts foetal development,” said Dr Leneque Xanthe Lindeque, a gynaecologist and obstetrician at Mediclinic Highveld in Mpumalanga.

BEFORE BABY

Boosting nutritional intake is vital from the moment patients start trying to fall pregnant. “The nutritional state of a mother should be assessed prior to falling pregnant and certain vitamins, such as folic acid should be supplemented in this period, and others avoided, such as vitamin A,” said Dr Lindeque. “The use of cigarettes, alcohol, and illicit drugs not only impacts the health of the foetus directly but also interferes with the mother’s intake of a nutritional diet. Patients with special diets and those who skip meals are also more likely to have nutritional deficiencies and inadequate weight gain in pregnancy.”

FOOD GROUPS TO AVOID

When patients fall pregnant, they’ll often find themselves approaching meal preparation with more care than ever before. “Avoiding food-borne illnesses that can have an adverse effect on pregnancy starts with good personal hygiene, frequent hand washing, and thorough food preparation,” said Dr Lindeque. She recommends you advise pregnant patients to avoid the following food groups:

• Partially cooked or uncooked meats, fish, and poultry (including eggs) can cause infections such as Toxoplasmosis and Listeria and can be detrimental to the pregnancy.
• Unpasteurised dairy products (like certain soft cheeses) can cause an infection called Brucellosis causing severe illness effecting the brain, muscles, and bladder system.

While expectant patients can still have their morning cup of coffee, limiting caffeine intake is advisable as excessive amounts can be detrimental to their pregnancy or result in a low birth weight.

WHAT TO EAT

Dr Lindeque recommends patients add the following vitamins and foods to their pregnancy diet:

• Folic acid supplementation is extremely important in the prevention of neural tube defects in the foetus and should be started when planning to fall pregnant.
• Fruits are full of healthy nutrients (for mom and baby), especially avocados because they contain healthy omega-3 fats, which are good for helping the development of the baby’s brain. Prunes are packed with fibre and keep the digestive system running smoothly. A diet rich in fibre may help decrease the risk of developing preeclampsia. Patients should aim for 25 grams of fibre daily.
• Lean meats such as chicken are an excellent source of protein and help provide energy for the demands of the pregnancy on the metabolism. Fish is also an excellent protein but avoid eating too much tuna with high levels of mercury.
• Starches are best consumed in forms that sustain energy longer, like oats and whole-wheat products.