Managing the Nutritional Requirements of Vegetarian and Vegan Mothers During Pregnancy

Abstract

Vegan pregnant women have a lower-than-average rate of cesarean delivery, less postpartum depression, and lower neonatal and maternal mortality. Well-planned plant-based diets have been confirmed as safe during pregnancy and lactation, as well as conferring additional health advantages. However, vegan diets that are highly restricted in calories and nutrients may give birth to infants whose weights are significantly lower than expected, so it's important for physicians to know how to manage such pregnancies. Vegetarians and vegans have significantly lower BMIs, on average, and a lower risk of hypothyroidism, which are the most significant risk factors for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. They also have a lower risk of pre-eclampsia and gallstone disease. Comorbidities such as chronic kidney disease and hypercholesterolemia can be effectively treated with a plant-based diet. Fear that the risk of the birth defect hypospadias was increased by following a vegetarian diet have proved unwarranted. Protein intake of vegan women should be increased by 10% while pregnant, and they should be encouraged to consume a wide variety of plant-based foods. Adequate sources of Omega 3 fats, calcium, iodine, vitamins B12 and D must be ensured, and a multi-micronutrient supplement tablet containing the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of several vitamins and minerals is recommended. A plant-based diet offers significant advantages in reducing complications of pregnancy as well as treating comorbidities such as Type II diabetes. While attention to vitamin B12 and other nutrients, when indicated, is important, a vegan pregnancy is not very different from the more common pregnancies.