For years now, low-carb diets (such as Atkins, South Beach, or Paleo) have been pretty popular. Lots of people that have dropped a large amount of weight on them. But what if you’re on one and get pregnant? Is it safe for pregnant women to continue eating low-carb foods?
It’s obvious that you shouldn’t be trying to lose weight while pregnant. But if the low-carb way of eating is what you’re used to, you’re probably questioning if you can keep it up while you’re pregnant.
As long as you’re eating enough good carbs to meet your nutritional needs, low-carb “diets” seems to be OK. So, diets that are really low in carbs aren’t safe for pregnant women. Without enough carbs, your body will make something called ketones in your blood stream. Ketones may put your baby at risk for brain damage. So yeah, pass the bread rolls!
“It is recommended that half the calories a pregnant woman takes in each day should come from carbohydrates,” says Dr. Hope Ricciotti, MD, an OB-GYN and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and author of The Pregnancy Cookbook. “Glucose, which is the byproduct of carbohydrates, is the primary fuel for the baby.”
The companies which created the Atkins and South Beach diets recommend that pregnant or lactating women follow the “maintenance” or “second phase.” These phases have higher amount of carbs.
However, if you weren’t on a low-carb diet before you got pregnant, don’t start one now. Going on a low-carb diet while you’re pregnant may affect how your baby’s development and their weight. Low-carb diets can also keep you and your baby from getting the nutrients you need to stay healthy. Severely cutting down on how much you eat could even increase the possibility of your baby having weight problems as she grows up.
Make sure to ask your doctor for prenatal nutritional advice, and before you start a new diet plan. He or she will be able to give you guidance tailored to your pregnancy and your body.
