Will vegetarian pregnant women affect fetal development?

Eating vegetarian food has many advantages, Vegetarianism is an attitude, Vegetarianism is a way of life, Vegetarianism is a fashion, For some people, vegetarianism is also a feeling. In the United States, vegetarians make up about 2.5% of adults, of which less than 1% are strictly vegetarians. India has the largest number of vegetarians in the world, accounting for an estimated 40% of the population. As for China, there is no authoritative data on the proportion of vegetarians. It is estimated that there are about 50 million vegetarians, and this number is still increasing year by year.

They are also different from vegetarians. Veggie and Vegan are different. Veggie: These people do not eat animal foods such as birds, animals, fish and shrimps, Eat only plants such as grain, vegetables and fruits, Vegetarianism varies from country to country or from culture to culture, Some vegetarians can eat honey, milk, eggs and other [meat dishes]. Vegan (strict vegetarian): These people only eat vegetarian food, not even milk, eggs, honey and other foods, and even do not use animal products such as leather, wool and so on. Before vegetarian pregnant women became pregnant, vegetarian food was a personal matter, but once pregnant, it seemed to become a family matter, and mothers-in-law began to use various means to coerce expectant mothers to eat meat. To be or not to be, that is a question! In fact, being pregnant and vegetarian is not so terrible, Show this article to your mother-in-law, If she doesn’t believe it, Bring her to the clinic next time, Let me talk to them about evidence-based medicine and clinical guidelines. Pregnant mammals can not eat meat. In nature, many herbivorous mammals never eat meat, and their children are still quite good. Hundreds of years ago, human beings rarely had the opportunity to eat meat. For vegetarians, if they can accept it, they can eat meat dishes after pregnancy. If you don’t like it, There is absolutely no need to force yourself to eat meat, However, the diet structure still needs to be properly adjusted. During the whole pregnancy, if the diet structure can be adjusted and balanced, the only additional supplement vegetarians need is vitamin B12.1. Protein bean products can provide high-quality protein like meat, fish and shrimp. If it is Veggie, eggs and milk can also be eaten to supplement protein. If it’s Vegan, The intake of pure beans and other vegetable proteins is also sufficient. 2. Vegetarians (especially strict vegetarians) are prone to calcium, iron and DHA deficiency. But even if they are not vegetarians, If the diet is not balanced, There will also be calcium, iron and DHA deficiencies. As long as the diet is balanced, Vegetarians can also get enough calcium, iron and DHA through different choices of grains, nuts, vegetables and fruits (because there are many kinds to choose from, Everyone’s preferences vary from day to day, and it is suggested to check on the Internet to get the corresponding information). If not enough, calcium tablets, iron tablets, etc. can be supplemented. 3. Vitamin B12 Vitamin B12 only exists in animal food, fermented food and bacteria and algae food, but the utilization rate of vitamin B12 in the latter two is quite low. Therefore, if you are a vegetarian for a long time, If you don’t eat any meat dishes, you may lack vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is also called vitamin [nutrient nerve]. If it is seriously deficient, it will cause depression, depression, memory loss, numbness, nervousness, paranoia and various cognitive disorders. If it is Veggie, if you eat enough milk or dairy products every day, vitamin B12 deficiency will not occur basically. In particular, The utilization rate of vitamin B12 in eggs is also very low, If it is Vegan or Veggie who only eats eggs and does not eat milk or dairy products, Then vitamin B12 deficiency is still easy to occur. In developed countries such as Europe and the United States, There are vitamin B12 fortified foods specially designed for vegetarians, And supplements containing vitamin B12. However, in China, Such fortified foods and nutritional supplements are not widely available, However, the public also lacks this awareness, so it is meaningful to strengthen publicity and promotion of supplements. Pregnant women can continue to be vegetarian when pregnant, but please pay attention to the balance of food structure. If it is Vegan or Veggie who only eats eggs but does not eat milk or dairy products, please supplement vitamin B12. The above is also applicable to nursing mothers.