What to do if you are malnourished during the third month of pregnancy

Pregnancy is a very special physiological period. During this period, you need to strengthen your nutrition and also need a balanced nutrition, which is very good for the baby's growth and development. If malnutrition occurs in the third month of pregnancy, you should strengthen your nutrition to avoid fetal malnutrition caused by malnutrition. Eat more foods with high protein content and you can also take milk powder for pregnant women to strengthen nutrition.

What is malnutrition during pregnancy

During pregnancy, the healthy development of the fetus in the womb, the growth of the placenta and the normal circulation of blood all require nutrition. In addition, the working intensity of the pregnant woman's important organs increases, so the nutrition that the expectant mother needs to consume also increases to a certain extent. Therefore, during pregnancy, you should increase your diet to ensure adequate nutrition. However, if the nutrition in the diet during pregnancy cannot meet the needs of the fetus and the pregnant woman herself, or there is an excess of nutrition, it is called malnutrition during pregnancy.

Symptoms of malnutrition during pregnancy

When they first become pregnant, most women will experience various discomforts, such as nausea, frequent vomiting, loss of appetite, etc. These uncomfortable symptoms can cause women to experience dizziness, yellow complexion, weight loss, nutritional imbalance, etc., and may even make it difficult for the fetus in the womb to absorb enough nutrients, thereby affecting its growth and development.

Effects of malnutrition during pregnancy on pregnant women and fetuses

Effects on pregnant women

1. Cause anemia in pregnant women

Many pregnant women will suffer from anemia symptoms to varying degrees due to lack of folic acid, iron, vitamin B12, etc. If anemia occurs during pregnancy, it will affect the health of mother and child, and will also affect the growth and development of the fetus, the neurobehavior and intellectual development level of the baby after birth, etc.

2. Causes high blood pressure during pregnancy

Hypertension during pregnancy is associated with a high risk of maternal and perinatal mortality, although the cause is not known. People usually associate this condition with insufficient trace elements (such as calcium, magnesium, and zinc), poor economic conditions, genetic factors, anemia symptoms, immunity, etc. Hypertension during pregnancy can cause changes in various organs of the pregnant woman. If not treated in time, it can lead to serious consequences.

3. Impact on pregnancy outcomes

If malnutrition occurs during pregnancy, there may be a risk of miscarriage, premature birth or premature rupture of membranes. In addition, vitamin deficiency and insufficient protein in pregnant women can also lead to miscarriage. If the copper ion content of the food consumed by pregnant women on a daily basis is insufficient, the synthesis of collagen fibers and elastic fibers in the fibroblasts of the pregnant woman's body will be reduced, resulting in insufficient elasticity of the fetal membrane and insufficient vitamin C content, making the fetal membrane more fragile, thereby increasing the chance of premature rupture of the membrane. In addition, if the concentration of zinc ions and copper ions in the pregnant woman's serum is low, it will lead to post-term pregnancy.

Effects on the fetus

1. Cause fetal malformation

Although there are many causes of fetal malformations, the relationship between fetal malformations and nutrients is of particular concern. For example, if a pregnant woman does not have enough folic acid in her body, it may lead to miscarriage, fetal death, or fetal malformations such as cleft lip, neural tube defects, cleft palate, etc.

2. Leading to slow intellectual development of children

Relevant research shows that if a pregnant woman is malnourished during the embryonic period, the number of fetal brain cells will be much lower than those of better developed fetuses, accounting for only about 82% of their brain cells. If you wait until after birth to supplement your baby's nutrition, the baby's intelligence will not reach the normal level or improve. It should also be noted that long-term malnutrition in pregnant women will cause the fetus's cerebellum, cerebellum or brainstem to lag significantly behind, and the size will only be 1/2-3/4 of that of a better-developed baby.

What to do if you have malnutrition during pregnancy

1. The diet should be light: During pregnancy, the diet of pregnant women should be light and easy to digest and absorb. Pregnant women can choose food according to their own preferences, but they should not be picky eaters.

2. Ensure protein intake: You can supplement protein intake by eating eggs, beans, milk, and nuts.

3. Pay attention to folic acid intake: In the early stages of pregnancy, you should pay attention to folic acid intake. You can take folic acid tablets or eat foods containing folic acid. Supplementing the body with folic acid during pregnancy can prevent or reduce fetal neural tube defects.

4. The supply of vitamins should be sufficient: If the morning sickness is severe and has a great impact on your daily diet, you can take vitamin tablets under the guidance of a doctor to supplement enough vitamins.

5. Pay attention to the combination: Pregnant women should change their diet frequently during pregnancy, and adhere to the principle of combining meat and vegetables and balancing coarse and fine foods. In addition, you should not be too picky about food or prefer certain foods during pregnancy, otherwise your body will lack trace elements and minerals.

6. Supplement iron-containing foods: To prevent iron deficiency anemia, you should eat more animal liver, beef, blood, etc. during pregnancy. At the same time, you can supplement vitamin C to promote iron absorption.

7. Supplement calcium-containing foods: Women after pregnancy need to supplement a lot of calcium. A better way is to add soy products, kelp, dried shrimps, and some milk and other foods to the daily diet.