Why nutrition matters in pregnancy
During pregnancy, your body needs extra nutrients to build the baby's brain, bones and blood, and to support the placenta and your own changing body. You do not need to eat for two. Needs for protein, iron, folate, calcium and iodine go up more than the need for extra calories, so the quality of food matters more than quantity.
Anaemia from low iron is very common in pregnant women in India. It can cause tiredness, breathlessness and a higher risk of early delivery, a low birth weight baby and heavy blood loss during childbirth. Good nutrition and supplements, along with regular antenatal check-ups and blood tests, help prevent and treat it early.
What to eat every day
Aim for three meals and two to three healthy snacks, using familiar home foods. Include a mix of food groups at every meal. Vegetarian women can meet protein needs by combining cereals with dal, and eating milk products, nuts and seeds regularly.
- Cereals and millets: rice, chapati, ragi, jowar, oats
- Protein: dal, rajma, chana, sprouts, paneer, curd, eggs, well-cooked fish or chicken
- Iron: green leafy vegetables, jaggery-based foods, dates, meat
- Calcium: milk, curd, ragi, sesame seeds
- Fruits and vegetables of different colours, washed well
- Iodised salt and plenty of safe drinking water
Key supplements
Folic acid helps prevent serious birth defects of the brain and spine. It works best when started before pregnancy and continued in the early months, so women planning a pregnancy should talk to a doctor early. Iron and folic acid tablets are then given through pregnancy to prevent anaemia, and calcium supplements are usually added after the first trimester.
Your doctor may also advise vitamin D, deworming medicine after the first trimester in some areas, or other supplements based on your blood tests. The amount and timing of each supplement should be decided by your doctor. Do not take extra high-dose vitamins on your own, as too much vitamin A, for example, can harm the baby.
Foods and habits to avoid
Some foods carry a risk of infections that can harm the baby, and some substances are unsafe in pregnancy. Common beliefs about avoiding certain fruits such as papaya vary; ripe papaya in normal amounts is generally considered safe, but ask your doctor if unsure.
- Alcohol and tobacco in any form, including gutka and paan with tobacco
- Raw or undercooked eggs, meat and fish
- Unpasteurised milk and cheese made from it
- Uncovered street food and cut fruit sold outside
- Too much tea or coffee
- Herbal medicines or remedies not approved by your doctor
Common problems and simple fixes
Morning sickness in the early months often improves with small, frequent, dry meals such as rusk, idli or poha, and avoiding strong smells. Acidity can be eased by eating small meals and not lying down right after eating. Constipation, which iron tablets can worsen, improves with more fibre, fruit, water and gentle walking.
Iron tablets are better absorbed when taken with vitamin C-rich foods like amla, lemon or oranges, and not with tea, coffee or calcium tablets at the same time. Your doctor or pharmacist will explain the best timing for your supplements.
Weight gain and check-ups
Healthy weight gain depends on your weight before pregnancy, and your doctor will track it at each visit. Both too little and too much gain can cause problems. Blood tests during pregnancy check for anaemia, blood sugar (gestational diabetes), thyroid function, blood group and infections, so that problems are caught and treated early. Women with diabetes, thyroid disease or kidney disease need extra monitoring and should never change their medicines on their own.
Keep all your scheduled antenatal appointments, even when you feel well, and carry your antenatal card or records to each visit. Tell the doctor about every tablet, tonic or herbal product you are taking, including those bought without a prescription, so the doctor can check they are safe for you and your baby.
When to see a doctor for pregnancy nutrition and supplements
Book your first antenatal visit as soon as you know you are pregnant, or even before, when planning. See a doctor quickly if you cannot keep food or water down, feel very tired or breathless, or have any of the warning signs listed below. A doctor or pharmacist can check that every supplement and medicine you take is safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Medicines doctors commonly use
Only your doctor can decide which medicine, dose and combination is right for you.
- Folic acidHelps prevent birth defects of the baby's brain and spine.Start before or early in pregnancy as advised by your doctor.
- Iron and folic acid (IFA) tabletsPrevent and treat anaemia in pregnancy.Take as your doctor advises; they may cause dark stools or constipation, which are usually harmless.
- Calcium (with or without vitamin D)Supports the baby's bones and may lower the risk of high blood pressure in pregnancy.Take at a different time from iron tablets, as your doctor or pharmacist advises.
- Albendazole (deworming)Treats worm infections that can worsen anaemia.Only on a doctor's advice, and not in the first trimester.
See a doctor urgently if
- See a doctor urgently if you have vaginal bleeding or leaking fluid.
- See a doctor urgently if you have severe headache, blurred vision or swelling of the face and hands.
- See a doctor urgently if the baby's movements reduce or stop in later pregnancy.
- See a doctor urgently if you vomit repeatedly and cannot keep fluids down.
- See a doctor urgently if you have fever, severe belly pain or breathlessness.
Tests that may help
This article is general health information, not medical advice. Do not start, stop or combine medicines on your own — always follow your doctor's prescription and ask your pharmacist if unsure.