Contents:
- Medical Video: Diabetes | Complications Of Gestational Diabetes | StreamingWell.com
- Why are vegetarians at risk of giving birth to premature babies?
- How do you get pregnant if you are a vegetarian?
- 1. Iron
- 2. Vitamin B12
- 3. Folic acid
- 4. Vitamin D and calcium
Medical Video: Diabetes | Complications Of Gestational Diabetes | StreamingWell.com
Being a vegetarian now has become a trend in society. For many people, being vegetarian is one way to get a healthy body and be free from various diseases. In addition, being vegetarian will also make you have an ideal weight.
However, according to one study, a woman who underwent a vegetarian lifestyle during pregnancy is very at risk of giving birth to a premature baby. Is that right? So, does a vegetarian have to leave this lifestyle while pregnant? Check out the reviews.
Why are vegetarians at risk of giving birth to premature babies?
According to research conducted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and Akershus University Hospital in Oslo, pregnant women who are deficient in vitamin B12 increase the risk of giving birth to premature babies by 21%.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is found in pregnant women who do not eat animal foods or animal processed products. This usually happens to a vegan, who does not consume meat, milk, eggs, honey or anything produced from animals.
There are several nutrients that are very important for pregnant women, namely iron and vitamin B12. Iron is needed to form red blood cells, carrying oxygen throughout your body and baby.
If you lack this substance, you can feel dizzy, weak, tired, and pale. You run the risk of giving birth to a premature baby who has a low body weight and suffers from anemia due to iron deficiency.
Vitamin B12 also plays an important role in the process of forming red blood cells, while maintaining a healthy nervous system and turning food into energy needed by pregnant women. Lack of this vitamin during pregnancy can increase your risk of giving birth to a disabled baby.
Unfortunately, these two nutrients are more commonly found in animal foods such as fish and meat. This is what causes a vegan to risk giving birth to a premature baby. How about a vegetarian? Vegetarians can still get vitamin B12 from dairy or egg products, these foods can meet your vitamin B12 needs.
How do you get pregnant if you are a vegetarian?
Don't worry, if you are familiar with the vegetarian lifestyle and can't leave it, you can still get around this by paying attention to the food you eat and make sure it meets your needs while pregnant. So, where do vegetarians meet these nutritional needs?
1. Iron
You can eat green vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, whole wheat bread, iron fortified cereals, or eggs (if you are a type of vegetarian who still consumes it).
2. Vitamin B12
If you still allow animal by-products such as milk, cheese and eggs, you can include this intake in the diet. In addition, you can also eat cereals and soy drinks fortified by vitamin B12. Given the variety of vitamin B12 foods for a few vegetarians, you can take additional supplements that contain this vitamin.
3. Folic acid
There are several types of foods high in folic acid that you can consume such as peanuts, spinach, asparagus, oranges, or cereals fortified with folic acid.
4. Vitamin D and calcium
You can find Vitamin D in cheese, egg yolks, and food products fortified with these vitamins such as cereals, orange juice, or soy milk. You can also get vitamin D from direct sunlight exposure to the skin. To get calcium, you can consume milk, cheese, yogurt, spinach, mustard greens, soy milk, tofu, tempeh, and kidney beans.
Make sure every day you consume these nutrients. a vegetarian who is pregnant is also advised to undergo several blood tests during pregnancy to determine iron levels in the body.
If your body's iron levels are low, your doctor may recommend you take iron supplements. This can reduce the risk of a vegetarian giving birth to a premature baby.
