IS IT SAFE TO EAT A VEGETARIAN DIET IN PREGNANCY?

Pregnancy is an important stage of every woman. A vegetarian diet during pregnancy can bring some health benefits. However, a diet without meat, fish or eggs can cause a deficiency of essential nutrients, which directly affects the development of the fetus.
 
For a healthy pregnancy, be sure to eat foods or drinks that include the following important nutrients:
 
Protein
Good sources of protein include eggs, dairy products, legumes (beans, peas and lentils), soy foods (like tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers), nuts, seeds, nut butters (like peanut butter) and whole grains (like oats, barley).
 
Iron
Your prenatal vitamin will likely provide some iron. But you'll also need to eat several servings of a variety of iron-rich foods every day. Good sources include:
 
-Whole  products fortified with iron, such as bread and pasta
-Beans and other legumes
-Tofu, tempeh, and other soy-based foods
- Nuts and seeds like sesame, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, cashews and almonds
-Leafy greens, such as spinach, kale, amaranth and broccoli
 
Avoid having tea or coffee with your meals because these drinks contain tannins and polyphenols, which make it harder for your body to absorb iron from vegetables. Instead, have something that's rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits (s, limes, grapefruit, tangerine), bell peppers, strawberries, tomato, to help your body absorb the iron.
 
Zinc
Many foods that provide  zinc – such as zinc fortified breakfast cereals, beans, soy foods, and whole grains – also provide zinc. Other good sources of zinc for vegetarians include nuts, seeds, wheat germ, and dairy products.
 
Calcium
Good sources include:
 
-Milk, cheese, and yogurt
-Plant-based milk drinks fortified with calcium  (almond or soy milk) )_
- Cereals and fruit juices fortified with calcium
-Almonds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds
- green leafly vegetables, including amaranth, celery, water morning glory, curly kale, okra, spinach
 
Vitamin D
This vitamin helps your body absorb calcium. Mushrooms and dairy products (types of cheeses, yogurt) are rich in vitamin D, some  fruits, and plant milk are fortified with vitamin D. Many prenatal supplements include vitamin D. If yours doesn't, you may want to consider taking a supplement.
 
B12
Vitamin B12 plays an important role in your baby's brain development. People following a vegan diet are at risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency because it is only found in animal products. Eating several servings of dairy foods, eggs or vitamin B12 fortified foods every day should provide you with enough. If you following a vegan diet and do not get their B12 requirement from these foods, you are advised to take B12 supplements to avoid vitamin B12 deficiency.
 
Iodine
Iodine is also important for your baby's brain development. Iodized salt, dried seaweed are good vegetarian sources of iodine. If you do not get a lot of these, check to make sure your prenatal vitamin contains iodine.

DHA
DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that promotes the development of your unborn baby's eyes and brain. It's found in fish, fish oil, and algae. Because it can be very difficult to obtain DHA from non-fish sources, you may want to take an omega-3 supplement derived from algae and suitable for vegetarians.

Everyone's eating habits and preferences are different, thus the diet and exercise need to be personalized for each person. There is no specific menu or diet that applies to all.

At Nutrition Department – American International Hospital (AIH), our nutritionists will assess your nutritional status personally  and consult the appropriate diet, which is suit able for your  conditions and eating habits. This give you a nutrition plan for the healthy, balanced and diversified diet during pregnancy.