Nutrition During Pregnancy

Eating healthy during pregnancy will help your baby develop and grow, as well as help you stay fit and well.

During pregnancy, some changes are observed in the woman's body with the formation and growth of a new creature (baby).
With these changes, the pregnant woman has to pay more attention to her nutrition during this period in order to meet the needs of both herself and the baby.
It is important to have a balanced and adequate diet to meet the increasing energy and nutritional needs during pregnancy.

• Foods rich in calcium such as milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yoghurt and kefir should be preferred.

• Protein-rich animal foods such as eggs, red meat, chicken and fish should be included in the diet. Dried legumes can also be eaten instead of these foods.

• Spilling the boiling water of vegetables and legumes should not be spilled as it will cause vitamin and mineral losses.

• Iodized salt should be used in meals. If you have hypertension (high blood pressure), meals should be cooked without salt or with little salt.

• Care should be taken to eat seasonal and fresh foods instead of canned, aged and ready-made foods.

• Food diversity should be given importance. In this way, it will be possible to absorb many vitamins and minerals into the body.

• Fluid intake should never be neglected, at least 8-10 glasses of water should be drunk a day.

• Foods containing fiber are important for regulating bowel movements, which slow down during pregnancy. Care should be taken to eat preferred fruits and vegetables when they are in season, and to wash fruits well, especially those eaten with their peels.

• Eating vegetables (lettuce, cabbage, pepper, tomato, cauliflower, etc.) and fruits (rosehip, orange, tangerine, apple, peach, etc.) that are sources of vitamin C at every meal helps the body absorb the iron found in foods.
Drinking tea and coffee with meals or immediately after meals reduces iron absorption and causes anemia.

"The above information has been prepared in line with the publications of the Ministry of Health."

During pregnancy, some changes are observed in the woman's body with the formation and growth of a new creature (baby). With these changes, the pregnant woman has to pay more attention to her nutrition during this period in order to meet the needs of both herself and the baby. It is important to have a balanced and adequate diet to meet the increasing energy and nutritional needs during pregnancy.
Foods rich in calcium such as milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yoghurt and kefir should be preferred.
Protein-rich animal foods such as eggs, red meat, chicken and fish should be included in the diet. Dried legumes can also be eaten instead of these foods. Boiling water of vegetables and legumes should not be spilled, as spilling the boiling water will cause vitamin and mineral losses.
Iodized salt should be used in meals. If you have hypertension (high blood pressure), meals should be cooked without salt or with little salt.
Care should be taken to eat seasonal and fresh foods instead of canned, aged and ready-made foods.
Food diversity should be given importance. In this way, it will be possible to absorb many vitamins and minerals into the body.
Fluid intake should never be neglected and you should drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day.
Foods containing fiber are important for regulating bowel movements, which slow down during pregnancy.
Care should be taken to eat preferred fruits and vegetables when they are in season, and to wash fruits well, especially those eaten with their peels.
Eating vegetables (lettuce, cabbage, pepper, tomato, cauliflower, etc.) and fruits (rosehip, orange, tangerine, apple, peach, etc.) that are sources of vitamin C at every meal helps the body absorb the iron found in foods. Drinking tea and coffee with meals or immediately after meals reduces iron absorption and causes anemia.

Vitamins and Minerals

During pregnancy, the need for vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folic acid, iron and calcium increases. Folate supplementation reduces the risk of neural tube defects. You should consult a physician for vitamin and mineral supplements.

Iron medication should preferably be taken while fasting. (If not taken while fasting, it can be taken 1 hour before a meal or 2 hours after a meal.) Iron medication should not be taken with calcium-containing foods such as milk, yoghurt, cheese, kefir.

Our Ministry carries out an iron and vitamin D support program for pregnant women. All pregnant women receive 40-60 mg of elemental iron daily for a total of 9 months, starting from the 16th week of gestation for 6 months and 3 months after birth, starting from the 12th week of gestation and 6 months after birth.1200 IU (9 drops) daily vitamin D supplementation is recommended for up to a month.

Weight Gain During Pregnancy

Proper weight gain is important during pregnancy. The weight that should be gained during pregnancy varies depending on the pregnant woman's pre-pregnancy weight and height. It is normal for healthy adult women who start pregnancy with a normal weight to gain 11.5-16 kilograms of weight during pregnancy.

If the expectant mother is malnourished during pregnancy, there may be a risk of premature birth and stillbirth. In addition, the possibility of the baby being born with low birth weight and before its physical/mental development is completed increases.