Of the following nutrient needs, which is considered the most difficult to meet during pregnancy?

During the last half of pregnancy, your body makes more red blood cells in order to supply enough for you and your baby. Every red blood cell uses iron as its core. Iron cannot be made by your body and must be absorbed from the foods you eat.

Although iron is found in many foods, it is hard to absorb, making it difficult for your body to get enough to meet its needs during pregnancy. When you don't have enough iron in your diet, you make fewer red blood cells, which is called anemia. Iron deficiency anemia is very common and is easy to correct.

Your body also needs a nutrient called folate to make healthy blood cells. Folate is easily absorbed and found in most green vegetables.

Causes of Anemia

  • Poor intake of iron- and folate-rich foods
  • Increased destruction of red blood cells that can occasionally occur during illness

Anemia Signs and Symptoms

Often, women with anemia don't have specific symptoms. If anemia is severe, you may feel tired and weak.

Preventing Anemia

  • Eat iron-rich foods such as meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dried beans and fortified grains. The form of iron in meat products, called heme, is more easily absorbed than the iron in vegetables. If you are anemic and you ordinarily eat meat, increasing the amount of meat you consume is the easiest way to increase the iron your body receives.
  • Eat foods high in folic acid, such as dried beans, dark green leafy vegetables, wheat germ and orange juice.
  • Eat foods high in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits and fresh, raw vegetables.
  • Cooking with cast iron pots can add up to 80 percent more iron to your food.
  • Take your prenatal multivitamin and mineral pill which contains extra folate.

Continue reading

Iron Supplements

Because it is difficult to get enough iron from your diet, you may need to take an iron supplement. There usually is enough iron in your prenatal vitamin to prevent anemia, but your provider may prescribe an extra iron pill if you are anemic.

If the iron tablet upsets your stomach, take it with a small amount of food. Do not take your iron tablet with dairy products or calcium supplements.

Iron-Rich Foods

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of iron during pregnancy is 30 milligrams. Here are some foods rich in iron.

Foods that provide .5 to 1.5 milligrams of iron:

  • Chicken, 3 ounces
  • Green peas, 1/2 cup
  • Tomato juice, 6 ounces
  • Broccoli, 1/2 cup
  • Brussels sprouts, 1/2 cup cooked
  • Whole wheat bread, 1 slice
  • Dried apricots, 5 halves
  • Raspberries, 1 cup
  • Strawberries, 1 cup

Foods that provide 1.6 to 3 milligrams of iron:

  • Sirloin steak, 3 ounces
  • Roast beef, 3 ounces
  • Lean hamburger, 3 ounces
  • Baked potato with skin
  • Kidney beans, 1/2 cup cooked
  • Lima beans, 1/2 cup cooked
  • Navy beans, 1/2 cup cooked
  • Oatmeal, 1 cup cooked
  • Raisins, 1/2 cup

Foods that provide 3 to 12 milligrams of iron:

  • Clams, 4 large or 9 small
  • Oysters, 6 medium
  • Spinach, 1/2 cup cooked
  • Fortified cereal, 1 cup

Additional sources of iron:

  • All kinds of liver (except fish) — however, liver should not be eaten more than once a week
  • Lean beef, veal, pork or lamb
  • Greens, all kinds
  • Beets
  • Sauerkraut
  • Tofu
  • Lentils
  • Soy bean flour
  • Enriched pastas
  • Unrefined sugars, such as molasses

A healthy pregnancy diet will promote your baby's growth and development. Understand which nutrients you need most and where to find them.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

During pregnancy, the basic principles of healthy eating remain the same — get plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and healthy fats. However, a few nutrients in a pregnancy diet deserve special attention. Here's what tops the list.

Folate and folic acid — Prevent brain and spinal cord birth problems

Folate is a B vitamin that helps prevent serious problems with the developing brain and spinal cord (neural tube defects). The synthetic form of folate found in supplements and fortified foods is known as folic acid. Folic acid supplementation has been shown to decrease the risk of premature birth and having a low birth weight baby.

How much you need: 400 micrograms (mcg) a day of folate or folic acid before conception and 600 to 1,000 micrograms of folate or folic acid a day throughout pregnancy

Good sources: Fortified cereals are great sources of folic acid. Dark green, leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, and dried beans, peas and lentils are good sources of naturally occurring folate.

FoodServing sizeFolate or folic acid content
FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov. Accessed Jan. 27, 2022
Cereal 3/4 cup (15 to 60 g) ready-to-eat cereal 100 to 700 mcg — choose a cereal that's 50% to 100% fortified
Spinach 1/2 cup (95 g) boiled spinach 131 mcg
Beans 1/2 cup (89 g) boiled Great Northern beans 90 mcg
Asparagus 4 boiled spears (60 g) 89 mcg
Oranges 1 small orange (96 g) 29 mcg
Peanuts 1 ounce (28 g) dry roasted 27 mcg

In addition to making healthy food choices, taking a daily prenatal vitamin — ideally starting at least three months before conception — can help ensure you're getting enough of this essential nutrient. Anyone who might become pregnant should take a daily vitamin supplement containing folic acid.

Calcium — Strengthen bones

You and your baby need calcium for strong bones and teeth. Calcium also supports healthy functioning of the circulatory, muscular and nervous systems.

How much you need: 1,000 milligrams (mg) a day; pregnant teenagers need 1,300 milligrams a day

Good sources: Dairy products are the best absorbed sources of calcium. Nondairy sources include broccoli and kale. Many fruit juices and breakfast cereals are fortified with calcium, too.

FoodServing sizeCalcium content
FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov. Accessed Jan. 27, 2022
Cereal 1 cup (20 to 60 g) calcium-fortified ready-to-eat cereal 100 to 1,000 mg
Juice 1 cup (237 mL) calcium-fortified orange juice 349 mg
Cheese 1.5 oz. (43 g) part-skim mozzarella 333 mg
Milk 1 cup (237 mL) skim milk 299 mg
Yogurt 6 oz. (170 g) low-fat fruit yogurt with low-calorie sweetener 258 mg
Salmon 3 oz. (85 g) canned pink salmon with bones 181 mg
Spinach 1/2 cup (95 g) boiled spinach 123 mg

Vitamin D — Promote bone strength

Vitamin D works with calcium to help build your baby's bones and teeth.

How much you need: 600 international units (IU) a day

Good sources: Fatty fish, such as salmon, is a great source of vitamin D. Other options include fortified milk and orange juice.

FoodServing sizeVitamin D content
FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov. Accessed Jan. 27, 2022
Fish 3 oz. (85 g) cooked sockeye salmon 570 IU
Milk 1 cup (237 mL) skim milk with added vitamin D 115 IU
Juice 8 oz. (237 mL) calcium- and vitamin D-fortified orange juice 100 IU
Eggs 1 large hard-boiled egg (50 g) 44 IU

Protein — Promote growth

Protein is crucial for your baby's growth throughout pregnancy.

How much you need: 71 grams (g) a day

Good sources: Lean meat, poultry, seafood and eggs are great sources of protein. Other options include beans and peas, nuts, seeds, and soy products.

FoodServing sizeProtein content
FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov. Accessed Jan. 27, 2022
Cottage cheese 1 cup (226 g) low-fat, 1% milk cottage cheese 28 g
Poultry 3 oz. (86 g) boneless, skinless grilled chicken breast 26 g
Fish 3 oz. (85 g) canned pink salmon with bones 17 g
Lentils 1/2 cup (99 g) boiled lentils 9 g
Milk 1 cup (237 mL) skim milk 8 g
Peanut butter 2 T (32 g) peanut butter 7 g
Eggs 1 large hard-boiled egg (50 g) 6 g

Iron — Prevent iron deficiency anemia

The body uses iron to make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in the red blood cells that carries oxygen to the body's tissues. During pregnancy, you need double the amount of iron that nonpregnant women need. Your body needs this iron to make more blood to supply oxygen to your baby.

If you don't have enough iron stores or get enough iron during pregnancy, you could develop iron deficiency anemia. You might develop headaches or become fatigued. Severe iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy also increases the risk of premature birth, having a low birth weight baby and postpartum depression.

How much you need: 27 milligrams a day

Good sources: Lean red meat, poultry and fish are good sources of iron. Other options include iron-fortified breakfast cereals, beans and vegetables.

FoodServing sizeIron content
Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28
Cereal 1/2 cup (40 g) quick oats fortified with iron 20 mg
Meat 3 oz. (85 g) roasted lean beef tenderloin 3 mg
Spinach 1/2 cup (90 g) boiled spinach 3 mg
Beans 1/2 cup (88.5 g) boiled kidney beans 2 mg
Poultry 3 oz. (85 g) roasted dark turkey 1 mg

Prenatal vitamins typically contain iron. In some cases, your health care provider might recommend a separate iron supplement.

The iron from animal products, such as meat, is most easily absorbed. To enhance the absorption of iron from plant sources and supplements, pair them with a food or drink high in vitamin C — such as orange juice, tomato juice or strawberries. If you take iron supplements with orange juice, avoid the calcium-fortified variety. Although calcium is an essential nutrient during pregnancy, it can decrease iron absorption.

Supplements — Ask your health care provider

Even if you eat a healthy diet, you can miss out on key nutrients. Taking a daily prenatal vitamin — ideally starting at least three months before conception — can help fill any gaps. Your health care provider might recommend special supplements if you follow a strict vegetarian diet or have a chronic health condition. If you're considering taking an herbal supplement during pregnancy, consult your health care provider first. Some herbal supplements might be harmful to your pregnancy.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

Feb. 18, 2022

  1. Landon MB, et al., eds. Nutrition during pregnancy. In: Gabbe's Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 8th ed. Elsevier; 2021. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Jan. 19, 2022.
  2. Fact sheet for health professionals: Folate. National Institutes of Health. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Folate-HealthProfessional/. Accessed Jan. 19, 2022.
  3. Fact sheet for health professionals: Iron. National Institutes of Health. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/. Accessed Jan. 19, 2022.
  4. Fact sheet for health professionals: Calcium. National Institutes of Health. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/. Accessed Jan. 19, 2022.
  5. FAQs: Nutrition during pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/nutrition-during-pregnancy. Accessed Jan. 19, 2022.
  6. Staying healthy and safe. Office on Women's Health. https://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/youre-pregnant-now-what/staying-healthy-and-safe. Accessed Jan. 19, 2022.
  7. Garner CD. Nutrition in pregnancy: Dietary requirements and supplements. https://www.uptodate.com/content/search. Accessed Jan. 19, 2022.
  8. 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines and Online Materials: Food sources of vitamin D. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/resources/2020-2025-dietary-guidelines-online-materials/food-sources-select-nutrients/food-sources. Accessed Jan. 19, 2022.
  9. 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov. Accessed Jan. 19, 2022.
  10. Fact sheet for health professionals: Vitamin D. National Institutes of Health. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/. Accessed Jan. 19, 2022.
  11. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Practice Bulletin No. 233: Anemia in pregnancy. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2001; doi:10.1097/AOG.00000000000004477. Reaffirmed 2015.
  12. AskMayoExpert. Preconception care. Mayo Clinic; 2021.

See more In-depth

See also

  1. Air travel during pregnancy
  2. Allergy medications during pregnancy
  3. Ankle swelling during pregnancy
  4. Antibiotics and pregnancy
  5. Aspirin during pregnancy
  6. Baby brain
  7. Pregnancy back pain
  8. Falling during pregnancy: Reason to worry?
  9. Flu shot in pregnancy
  10. Headaches during pregnancy: What's the best treatment?
  11. Iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy: Prevention tips
  12. Kratom and pregnancy: Not a safe mix
  13. Leg cramps during pregnancy
  14. Placenta
  15. Pregnancy acne
  16. Pregnancy and exercise
  17. Pregnancy and fish
  18. Pregnancy and hot tubs
  19. Pregnancy basics
  20. Pregnancy constipation
  21. Pregnancy due date calculator
  22. Pregnancy nutrition don'ts
  23. Pregnancy weight gain
  24. Pregnant. Now What Happens?
  25. Prenatal testing
  26. Prenatal testing: Quick guide to common tests
  27. Prenatal vitamins and pregnancy
  28. Prenatal yoga
  29. Sex during pregnancy
  30. Sleep during pregnancy
  31. Vegetable recipes
  32. Fetal ultrasound
  33. Twin pregnancy
  34. Vaccines during pregnancy
  35. Vaping during pregnancy
  36. Fetal ultrasound
  37. Working during pregnancy
  38. X-ray during pregnancy

.

Which nutrient needs are increased the most during pregnancy quizlet?

The need for vitamin B increased during pregnancy because of vital role of these vitamins as coenzyme factors for energy production and protein metabolism. Increased vitamin D needs to ensure the absorption and use of calcium and phosphorus for fetal bone growth.

Which of the following nutrients are required in high amounts during pregnancy due to their roles in the synthesis of red blood cells?

Vitamin B12 Helps form red blood cells and maintains your nervous system. You can find this vitamin only in animal products. Good sources include liver, meat, fish, poultry, and milk. During pregnancy you need 2.6 micrograms daily.

Which of the following nutrients are required in higher amounts during pregnancy due to their roles in the synthesis?

Protein. Among the macronutrients, protein requires more attention during pregnancy, when demand progressively increases to support protein synthesis, in order to maintain maternal tissues and fetal growth, especially during the third trimester.

Which of the following nutrients are required in higher amounts during pregnancy due to their roles in the synthesis of DNA and new cells?

Folate, which is also known as folic acid, is crucial for the production of DNA and RNA and the synthesis of cells. A deficiency can cause megaloblastic anemia (the development of abnormal red blood cells) during pregnancy.