Exercise and Nutrition

Vitamins

Guidance for ALL pregnant women:

  • We recommend that a woman should start taking a daily prenatal vitamin containing 0.4mg of folic acid three months prior to conception, or at least starting when she finds out she is pregnant. Some women may need extra folic acid or other vitamins and minerals. Please speak to your health care provider.

  • we also recommend that all pregnant women in Alberta take 2000 iu of vitamin D daily with a meal.

Iron Deficiency and Anemia

Many women have iron deficiency or anemia in pregnancy.

It is important to eat iron rich foods in pregnancy.


Iron supplementation in the form of an iron vitamin may be appropriate for some women. Please speak to your physician.

To maximize absorption, iron supplements should:

  • Be taken on an empty stomach (1hr before or 2 hrs after meals) with full glass of water, vitamin C tablet, or fruit juice.

  • Be taken in the morning or earlier in the day. 

  • Be taken with a supplement or dietary source of Vitamin C (e.g., fruit juice, oranges, tomatoes). 

  • NOT be taken with calcium products (e.g.: supplements, certain antacids) or foods (e.g., dairy such as milk, cheese, yogurt). 

  • NOT be taken with high-oxalate foods (e.g., coffee, tea, spinach, kale, broccoli).

Oral iron can cause nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, constipation, diarrhea, metallic taste or dark stools. If you are experiencing intolerable side effects please speak to the physician regarding alternative options, which may include:

  • Switching to a different formulation of iron or a preparation with less elemental iron.

  • Recommend taking iron with small snack or with meals (however food will decrease iron absorption by 40%).

  • Take at bedtime (however, iron absorption is lowest in evening).

 Nutrition

  • Alberta Health Services as well as Mosaic Medical Clinic both offer FREE Prenatal Nutrition Classes that we recommend all pregnant women attend. Click here for more info.

  • Pregnant women should try to eat a diet high in iron rich foods, and make sure they are getting adequate calcium.

What foods should I NOT eat in pregnancy?

  • Raw fish, such as sushi, raw oysters, clams and mussels

  • Raw or undercooked meat, poultry, seafood, and hot dogs

  • Non-dried deli-meats such as bologna, roast beef, ham, and turkey breast

  • Non-dried deli-meats such as bologna, roast beef, ham, and turkey breast

  • Refrigerated pate, meat spreads, and refrigerated smoked seafood

  • All foods made with raw or lightly cooked eggs (ex. Home-made caesar vinaigrette)

  • The following pasteurized and unpasteurized cheeses: brie, camembert, roquefort, stilton, blue cheese

  • Unpasteurized juices such as unpasteurized apple cider

  • Raw sprouts, especially alfalfa sprouts

(Source:  Health Canada: The sensible guide to a healthy pregnancy)

Should I eat fish in pregnancy? Which fish should I avoid?

What are the recommended servings of the common food groups?

Eating During Pregnancy - Recommended Servings Per Day

Can you recommend any general Prenatal Nutrition resources?

Healthy Parents Healthy Children guid to healthy eating in pregnancy

“The sensible guide to a healthy pregnancy” Government of Canada

Prenatal Nutrition-Health Canada

My Food Guide Servings Tracker for pregnant women

Canada’s food guide to healthy eating

What does it mean to eat healthy? (SOGC Resource)

Weight Gain in Pregnancy

Women who gain excessive weight are more likely to have:

  • more trouble giving birth

  • a higher risk for caesarean birth (c-section), high blood sugar (gestational diabetes) and high blood pressure during pregnancy

  • babies who are born preterm

  • babies who are born large for their age or who have a high birth weight of more than 4 kg (9 lbs)

  • babies who will be above a healthy weight later in childhood

  • more trouble losing the weight after pregnancy

Women who gain weight below the recommended range are more likely to have:

  • babies who are born preterm

  • babies who are born small for their age or who have a low birth weight (babies born weighing less than 2.5 kg (5 lbs 8 oz))

Healthy Weight Gain

By gaining a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy, you can help give your baby a healthy start in the first few weeks of life and beyond.

How much weight should I gain in pregnancy?

The amount of weight you should gain in pregnancy is dependent on your pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI).

You can track your pregnancy weight gain here.

Obesity in pregnancy is a resource from the SOGC that discusses the pregnancy implications of obesity.

Exercise

Exercising during pregnancy guidelines can be found here.