The Food Pyramid shows which foods you should be emphasizing in your diet and which types of foods you should be eating more sparingly. If you follow the Food Pyramid guidelines, approximately 50 percent to 60 percent of your diet will come from carbohydrates, 20 percent to 30 percent from fats, and 15 percent to 20 percent from proteins. More…

Vitamin A is critical in many functions of the body, including vision, immune function, and the growth and development of the early embryo. A deficiency of vitamin A during pregnancy is associated with growth restriction of the fetus, preterm birth, and low birth weight, all of which can cause short- and long-term problems for a baby’s health. More…

Unlike calcium, the amount of vitamin C made available to a fetus depends on a mother’s diet. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects the body’s tissues from damage and is needed to build collagen and chemical signals in the brain.

Too little vitamin C can result in pregnancy complications such as premature birth and infections. Pregnant women should consume about 10 milligrams per day more than other women, or 85 milligrams a day total. You can easily reach this amount by eating fruits and vegetables every day, especially citrus fruits, broccoli, bell peppers, strawberries, and tomatoes. More…

A fetus collects about 25 to 30 grams of calcium from its mother over the course of a pregnancy, mostly during the third trimester. Most of this calcium is used to fashion bones and cartilage, but part of it also helps blood vessels contract and dilate, nerves transmit signals to one another, muscles contract, and glands secrete hormones. However, most of this calcium is provided by mom free of charge.

A woman’s body becomes amazingly efficient at absorbing and using calcium during this time, More…

Several studies have found that women who have low levels of zinc in their diet are at a higher risk for preterm delivery and a baby with a low birth weight.

Clinical trials of zinc supplements have not yielded any clear-cut results showing a benefit to taking extra zinc, but it’s a good idea to consume higher levels of this mineral during pregnancy. More…