Discuss important concerns for vegetarian diets during pregnancy or lactation

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

In general, a well- planned vegetarian diet can support a healthy pregnancy and successful lactation if it provides adequate energy and contains a wide variety of legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. Many vegetarian women are well nourished, with nutrient intakes from diet alone exceeding the RDA for most vitamins and minerals except iron, which is low for most women. In contrast, vegan women who restrict themselves to an exclusively plant-based diet generally have low energy intakes and are underweight. For pregnant women, this can be a problem. Women with low prepregnancy weights and insufficient weight gains during pregnancy jeopardize a healthy pregnancy.

Vegan diets may require supplementation with vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin D, or the addition of foods fortified with these nutrients. Infants may suffer spinal cord damage and develop severe psychomotor retardation due to a lack of vitamin B12 in the mother's diet during pregnancy. Breastfed infants of vegan mothers have been reported to develop vitamin B12 deficiency and severe movement disorders. Giving infants vitamin B12 supplements corrects the blood and neurological symptoms of the deficiency, as well as the structural abnormalities, but cognitive and language development delays may persist. A pregnant woman needs a regular source of vitamin B12–fortified foods or a supplement that provides 2.6 micrograms daily.