Nutrient Needs During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, nutrient utilization and absorption is more efficient. Thus, for some nutrients (e.g., calcium), increased intake is not necessary. Even so, some nutrients are needed in higher amounts and supplementation is encouraged by most physicians, either separately (e.g., folate and iron) or as a prenatal multiple vitamin with minerals. (ACOG, 2018)

Guidelines for intake, based on Institute of Medicine recommendations and the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) are reviewed below and summarized in a table at the end of this module.

Energy
Protein
Fat
Carbohydrate
Minerals
Vitamins

Practical guidelines for overall intake (including recommended portion sizes and number of servings) are included in a table.