New studies reveal that during pregnancy, the human body’s energy requirements gradually increase and demand around 50,000 dietary calories.
How many calories are required to carry a child in the womb during pregnancy?
According to the latest research published in the Journal of Science, pregnant women require approximately 50,000 dietary calories to carry a baby over nine months, which is three times more than reptiles. The study also added that it is also beyond the expectations of the researchers.
Dustin Marshall, an eminent researcher at Australian University, discovered that they previously assumed that the majority of the energy ratio is invested in the reproduction procedure and ultimately stored in the fetus’s body. However, the latest research breaks down their assumption by disclosing that only 4% of the total energy demands during pregnancy are stored in Fetus tissues, and the rest 96% are costs for the fueling of the would-be mother’s body to run fluently. “It shocked me,” added Dr. Marshall.
During the 7th week of pregnancy, the baby’s brain starts to form which requires more energy (7). Additionally, the metabolism rate in the baby’s body along with the would-be mother also costs huge energy. For maintaining a high metabolic rate in the body, mammals claim extra fuel in their body.
Total Energy Expenditure in Human Reproduction
Have you ever thought about the total energy demands in your body to carry the child in your womb? How many calories does the baby need for proper growth? The new study explores the shocking data regarding the internal connection between the energy demands and the human body of pregnant females. As revealed by the researchers, the human reproduction process requires the largest energy investments. The entire process of reproduction takes massive energy expenditure, including fertility, metabolism, offspring production, and energy consumption of the baby.
Additionally, the Australian researchers mentioned that “Mammals pay the highest reproductive costs (excluding lactation) ~90% of which are indirect”.
What do Scientists say about a healthy diet for pregnant women?
A healthy diet in a regular manner significantly impacts the health of the baby from the initial stage. For this reason, most gynecologists refer to their patients to consume a balanced diet during their pregnancy. As per the recommendations of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), a pregnant woman is required to consume an additional 340 calories per day in her daily diet.
During the period of the second and third trimesters, every pregnant woman should think about the extra need for body fuel to carry the baby and for the growth of the child in her womb. In this regard, they should consult a gynecologist properly for a healthy pregnancy diet through which they can fulfill their body requirements.
Know more about a healthy diet.
When a pregnancy report shows positive, everything changes for a woman. As mentioned by Lyndsay Hall, one of the famous dietitians specializing in pre and post-natal care, during pregnancy, every woman should change their everyday diet, and the baby’s growth and health highly depends on the eating behavior of their would-be mothers since the third trimester. To make the baby healthy and nourished, pregnant women have to ensure to maintain a balanced diet properly, which consists of enough proteins, vitamins, and other nutrients.
We want to try and promote a diet that’s rich in fruits and vegetables, protein from animal and/or plant-based sources, complex carbohydrates, low-fat dairy products, and healthy fats
HallThe diet should be rich in macro and micro elements like vitamins, proteins, carbs, healthy fats, animal and plant sources, and low-fat dairy products. At the same time, many experts also recommend that pregnancy cravings are quite common during this time but females should ensure enough consumption of healthy diets on a daily basis.
