Читать книгу Need to Know Fertility, Conception and Pregnancy - Harriet Sharkey - Страница 67

More and more people are turning to vegetarian or vegan diets. Some vegetarians eat dairy products and others eat dairy products but avoid eggs. Vegans avoid all animal products including meat, fish, dairy products, eggs and honey. Because a few micronutrients occur naturally only in animal products, planning a balanced vegetarian or vegan diet requires a little extra effort. There are not usually any problems with a well-balanced vegetarian diet before and during pregnancy, however. Such a diet provides sufficient protein, vitamins and minerals to meet the needs of most women, although sometimes iron supplements are required to help prevent anaemia caused by the extra demands of the unborn baby on the mother’s stores of iron.

Some very strict vegan diets contain no food at all that is derived from animal sources, including dairy products. Women following such a diet may need extra vitamin supplements and should discuss this with their GP. If you are a vegan, you may be prescribed supplements of calcium and vitamins D and B12. So there are not usually any problems with a well-balanced vegetarian diet during pregnancy; indeed, you will have some benefits, such as increased fibre in your diet from all the fruit and vegetables.