Quantity and Variety during Pregnancy

Behavior: Pregnant woman eats more than usual and a variety of foods.

• Increased food intake and a diversified diet help support fetal growth and future lactation. The amount of weight that should be gained during pregnancy depends on pre-pregnancy weight, activity level, and body size. For women who enter pregnancy with good nutritional status, the additional food intake required is the equivalent of a snack (about 200 kilocalories) per day. Many women in developing countries begin pregnancy with poor nutritional status and will need more than this amount of food.