Eating well is one of the best things you can do during pregnancy. Good nutrition helps you handle the extra demands on your body as your pregnancy progresses. The goal is to balance getting enough nutrients to support the growth of your fetus and maintaining a healthy weight.
The popular saying is that you should “eat for two” when you're pregnant, but now we know that it’s dangerous to eat twice your usual amount of food during pregnancy. Instead of “eating for two,” think of it as eating twice as healthy. If you are pregnant with one fetus, you need an extra 340 calories per day starting in the second trimester (and a bit more in the third trimester). That's roughly the calorie count of a glass of skim milk and half a sandwich. If you are carrying twins, you should get about 600 extra calories a day. If you are carrying triplets, you should take in 900 extra calories a day.
Vitamins and minerals play important roles in all of your body functions. Eating healthy foods and taking a prenatal vitamin every day should supply all the vitamins and minerals you need during pregnancy.
Take only one serving of your prenatal supplement each day. Read the bottle to see how many pills make up one daily serving. If your obstetrician–gynecologist (ob-gyn) thinks you need an extra amount of a vitamin or mineral, your ob-gyn may recommend it as a separate supplement.
No, do not take more than the recommended amount of your prenatal vitamin per day. Some multivitamin ingredients, such as vitamin A, can cause birth defects at higher doses.
During pregnancy you need folic acid, iron, calcium, vitamin D, choline, omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and vitamin C. See the below table for recommended amounts. Key Vitamins and Minerals During Pregnancy
| Nutrient (Daily Recommended Amount) | Why You and Your Fetus Need It | Best Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium (1,300 milligrams for ages 14 to 18; 1,000 milligrams for ages 19 to 50) | Builds strong bones and teeth | Milk, cheese, yogurt, sardines, dark green leafy vegetables |
| Iron (27 milligrams) | Helps red blood cells deliver oxygen to your fetus | Lean red meat, poultry, fish, dried beans and peas, iron-fortified cereals, prune juice |
| Iodine (220 micrograms) | Essential for healthy brain development | Iodized table salt, dairy products, seafood, meat, some breads, eggs |
| Choline (450 milligrams) | Important for development of your fetus’s brain and spinal cord | Milk, beef liver, eggs, peanuts, soy products |
| Vitamin A (750 micrograms for ages 14 to 18; 770 micrograms for ages 19 to 50) | Forms healthy skin and eyesight Helps with bone growth | Carrots, green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes |
| Vitamin C (80 milligrams for ages 14 to 18; 85 milligrams for ages 19 to 50) | Promotes healthy gums, teeth, and bones | Citrus fruit, broccoli, tomatoes, strawberries |
| Vitamin D (600 international units) | Builds your fetus’s bones and teeth Helps promote healthy eyesight and skin | Sunlight, fortified milk, fatty fish such as salmon and sardines |
| Vitamin B6 (1.9 milligrams) | Helps form red blood cells Helps body use protein, fat, and carbohydrates | Beef, liver, pork, ham, whole-grain cereals, bananas |
| Vitamin B12 (2.6 micrograms) | Maintains nervous system Helps form red blood cells | Meat, fish, poultry, milk (vegetarians should take a supplement) |
| Folic acid (600 micrograms) | Helps prevent birth defects of the brain and spine Supports the general growth and development of the fetus and placenta | Fortified cereal, enriched bread and pasta, peanuts, dark green leafy vegetables, orange juice, beans. Also, take a daily prenatal vitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid. |
Folic acid, also known as folate, is a B vitamin that is important during pregnancy. Folic acid may help prevent major birth defects of the fetus’s brain and spine called neural tube defects (NTDs).
When you are pregnant you need 600 micrograms of folic acid each day. Because it’s hard to get this much folic acid from food alone, you should take a daily prenatal vitamin with at least 400 micrograms starting at least 1 month before pregnancy and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. If you have already had a child with an NTD, you should take 4 milligrams (mg) of folic acid each day as a separate supplement at least 3 months before pregnancy and for the first 3 months of pregnancy. You and your ob-gyn can discuss whether you need to supplement with more than 400 micrograms daily.
Iron is used by your body to make the extra blood that you and your fetus need during pregnancy. When you are not pregnant, you need 18 mg of iron per day. When you are pregnant, you need 27 mg per day. You can get this amount in most prenatal vitamins.
In addition to taking a prenatal vitamin with iron, you should eat iron-rich foods such as beans, lentils, enriched breakfast cereals, beef, turkey, liver, and shrimp. You should also eat foods that help your body absorb iron, including oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, broccoli, and peppers. Your blood should be tested during pregnancy to check for anemia. If you have anemia, your ob-gyn may recommend extra iron supplements.
Calcium is a mineral that builds your fetus’s bones and teeth. If you are 18 or younger, you need 1,300 mg of calcium per day. If you are 19 or older, you need 1,000 mg per day. Milk and other dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt, are the best sources of calcium. If you have trouble digesting milk products, you can get calcium from other sources, such as broccoli, fortified foods (cereals, breads, and juices), almonds and sesame seeds, sardines or anchovies with the bones, and dark green leafy vegetables. You can also get calcium from calcium supplements.
Vitamin D works with calcium to help the fetus’s bones and teeth develop. Vitamin D is also essential for healthy skin and eyesight. Whether you are pregnant or not, you need 600 international units of vitamin D a day. Good sources of vitamin D include fortified milk and breakfast cereal, fatty fish (salmon and mackerel), fish liver oils, and egg yolks.
Many people do not get enough vitamin D. If your ob-gyn thinks you may have low levels of vitamin D, a test can be done to check the level in your blood. If it is below normal, you may need to take a vitamin D supplement.
Choline plays a role in your fetus’s brain development. It may also help prevent some common birth defects. Experts recommend that you get 450 mg of choline each day during pregnancy. Choline can be found in chicken, beef, eggs, milk, soy products, and peanuts. Although the body produces some choline on its own, it doesn’t make enough to meet all your needs while you are pregnant. It’s important to get choline from your diet because it is not found in most prenatal vitamins.
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of fat found naturally in many kinds of fish. Omega-3s may be important for brain development before and after birth. Flaxseed (ground or as oil) is also a good source of omega-3s. Other sources of omega-3s include broccoli, cantaloupe, kidney beans, spinach, cauliflower, and walnuts.
Eat two or three servings of fish or shellfish per week before getting pregnant, while pregnant, and while breastfeeding. A serving of fish is 4 ounces (oz).
Some types of fish have higher levels of mercury than others. Mercury is a metal that has been linked to birth defects. Do not eat bigeye tuna, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, or tilefish. Limit white (albacore) tuna to only 6 oz a week. Also check advisories about fish caught in local waters.
Your prenatal vitamin should have the right amount of B vitamins that you need each day. Eating foods high in B vitamins is a good idea too, including liver, pork, chicken, bananas, beans, and whole-grain cereals and breads.
Vitamin C is important for a healthy immune system. It also helps build strong bones and muscles. During pregnancy, you should get at least 85 mg of vitamin C each day if you are older than 19, and 80 mg if you are younger than 19. You can get the right amount of vitamin C in your daily prenatal vitamin, and also from citrus fruits and juices, strawberries, broccoli, and tomatoes.
Drink throughout the day, not just when you are thirsty. Aim for 8 to 12 cups of water a day during pregnancy.
The MyPlate Plan can help you learn about choosing foods from each food group to get the vitamins and minerals you need during pregnancy. The MyPlate Plan can also help you limit calories from added sugars and saturated fats.
Bread, pasta, oatmeal, cereal, and tortillas are all grains. Whole grains are those that haven’t been processed and include the whole grain kernel. Oats, barley, quinoa, brown rice, and bulgur are all whole grains, as are products made with those grains. Look for the words “whole grain” on the product label. When you plan meals, make half of your grain servings whole grains.
You can eat fresh, canned, frozen, or dried fruit. Juice that is 100 percent fruit juice counts in the fruit category, but it is best to eat mostly whole fruit instead of juice. Make half your plate fruit and vegetables during mealtimes.
You can eat raw, canned, frozen, or dried vegetables or drink 100 percent vegetable juice. Use dark leafy greens to make salads. Make half your plate fruit and vegetables during mealtimes.
Meat, poultry, seafood, beans, peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts, and seeds all contain protein. Eat a variety of protein each day.
Milk and milk products, such as cheese and yogurt, make up the dairy group. Make sure any dairy foods you eat are pasteurized. Choose fat-free or low-fat (1 percent) varieties.
Oils and fats are another part of healthy eating. Although they are not a food group, they do give you important nutrients. During pregnancy, the fats that you eat provide energy and help build the placenta and many fetal organs.
Oils in food come mainly from plant sources, such as olive oil, nut oils, and grapeseed oil. They can also be found in certain foods, such as some fish, avocados, nuts, and olives. Most of the fats and oils in your diet should come from plant sources. Limit solid fats, such as those from animal sources. Solid fats can also be found in processed foods.
See the below table for recommended weight gain during pregnancy.
Weight Gain During Pregnancy
Less than 18.5 (underweight)
18.5 to 24.9 (normal weight)
25.0 to 29.9 (overweight)
30.0 and above (obese)
*Assumes a first-trimester weight gain between 1.1 and 4.4 pounds
Source: Institute of Medicine and National Research Council. 2009. Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
During the first trimester with one fetus, usually no extra calories are needed. In the second trimester, you will need an extra 340 calories per day, and in the third trimester, about 450 extra calories a day. To get the extra calories during the day, have healthy snacks on hand, such as nuts, yogurt, and fresh fruit.
Obesity during pregnancy also increases the risk of:
You and your ob-gyn should work together to develop a nutrition and exercise plan. If you are gaining less than what the guidelines suggest, and if your fetus is growing well, gaining less than the recommended guidelines can have benefits. If your fetus is not growing well, changes may need to be made to your diet and exercise plan.
Anemia: Abnormally low levels of red blood cells in the bloodstream. Most cases are caused by iron deficiency (lack of iron). Birth Defects: Physical problems that are present at birth. Body Mass Index: A number calculated from height and weight. BMI is used to determine whether a person is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. Calories: Units of heat used to express the fuel or energy value of food. Cesarean Birth: Birth of a fetus from the uterus through an incision (cut) made in the woman’s abdomen. Complications: Diseases or conditions that happen as a result of another disease or condition. An example is pneumonia that occurs as a result of the flu. A complication also can occur as a result of a condition, such as pregnancy. An example of a pregnancy complication is preterm labor. Fetus: The stage of human development beyond 8 completed weeks after fertilization. Folic Acid: A vitamin that reduces the risk of certain birth defects when taken before and during pregnancy. Gestational Diabetes: Diabetes that starts during pregnancy. High Blood Pressure: Blood pressure above the normal level. Also called hypertension. Macrosomia: A condition in which a fetus grows more than expected, often weighing more than 8 pounds and 13 ounces (4,000 grams). Neural Tube Defects: Birth defects that result from a problem in development of the brain, spinal cord, or their coverings. Obstetrician–Gynecologist (Ob-Gyn): A doctor with special training and education in women’s health. Oxygen: An element that we breathe in to sustain life. Placenta: An organ that provides nutrients to and takes waste away from the fetus. Preeclampsia: A disorder that can occur during pregnancy or after childbirth in which there is high blood pressure and other signs of organ injury. These signs include an abnormal amount of protein in the urine, a low number of platelets, abnormal kidney or liver function, pain over the upper abdomen, fluid in the lungs, or a severe headache or changes in vision. Preterm: Less than 37 weeks of pregnancy. Trimester: A 3-month time in pregnancy. It can be first, second, or third.
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