Healthy eating and

vitamin supplements in

pregnancy

About this information

This information is for you if you want to know more about eating

healthily in pregnancy. It also gives you advice about using vitamin

supplements before you get pregnant and during pregnancy.

Within this leaflet, we may use the terms ‘woman’ and ‘women’.

However, it is not only people who identify as women who may

making decisions that are right for you.

Published August 2022

Information for you

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They can help by discussing your situation with you and answering

your questions.

A glossary of all medical terms is available on the RCOG website

at: https://www.rcog.org.

Key Points

about these.

Keeping healthy when you are having a baby may depend on both

the amount and the type of food you eat before you become

pregnant and during your pregnancy. Simply being a correct

weight for your height does not necessarily mean that you are

eating healthily. Some foods are best avoided if you are planning

to become pregnant or if you are already pregnant, as they may

contain substances that could affect your baby’s development.

To eat healthily, you should aim to do the following.

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• Eat as little fried food as possible and avoid drinks that are

high in added sugars and other foods such as sweets, cakes

and biscuits that have a high fat or sugar content.

• Instead, eat fibre-rich foods such as oats, beans, lentils,

grains and seeds.

• Eat some protein every day; choose lean meat, and try to

eat two portions of fish a week. If you do not eat meat or

fish, lentils, beans, nuts, eggs and tofu are also good sources

of protein.

• If you feel hungry between meals, chose healthier snacks

such as vegetables, small sandwiches, fresh or dried fruit.

• Eat dairy foods for calcium or dairy alternatives, which are

instant coffee. Be aware that other drinks such as tea and

energy drinks also contain caffeine. Ideally avoid caffeine or

switch to decaffeinated versions of tea and coffee. This is

because new evidence has shown that caffeine in pregnancy

can be linked to pregnancy complications such as low birth

weight, miscarriage and stillbirth.

Most women do not need any extra calories during the first six

months of pregnancy. It is only in the last 12 weeks that they need

to eat a little more, and then only an extra 200 calories a day,

which is roughly the same as two slices of bread.

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(BMI above 30 kg/m2) is correlated with a higher chance of

complications in pregnancy (see the RCOG patient information

Being overweight in pregnancy and after birth, which is available

at: https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/patient-leaflets/being-

overweight-pregnancy-after-birth/).

Your healthcare team will support you to keep well in pregnancy

whatever your BMI. They will discuss any concerns they have with

you and ensure that you are able to make informed choices about

your pregnancy and birth.

Is it safe for me to diet while I am

In general, eating fish is a healthy option during pregnancy, but

the current advice from the Department of Health is to eat no

more than two portions of oily fish, such as mackerel or salmon,

a week. This is because too much of a substance found in oily fish

(mercury) can be harmful to your baby’s development.

Also, pregnant women should not eat more than two fresh tuna

steaks or four medium-sized cans of tuna a week, and should

avoid eating shark, swordfish or marlin.

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while I am pregnant. Why?

Liver can contain high levels of vitamin A, which in high doses can

You can eat peanuts or foods containing peanuts (such as peanut

butter) while pregnant or breastfeeding. Eating peanuts does

not appear to affect your baby’s chances of developing a peanut

allergy. Avoid eating them if you are allergic to them.

How can I reduce the risk of

infection from food?

You can pick up some infections, such as listeria, salmonella or

toxoplasmosis, from contaminated food. These can harm your

baby if you catch these infections while you are pregnant.

To reduce your risk of getting listeriosis:

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• avoid eating undercooked food; make sure that ready-

prepared meals are cooked as per instructions, paying

particular attention to making sure that they are piping hot

To reduce your risk of getting salmonella:

• Avoid eating raw or partially cooked eggs that have not

been produced under the British Lion code (for example in

mayonnaise, soufflé or mousse). It is safe to eat these eggs

once they are cooked until the white and the yolk are hard.

• Eggs produced under the British Lion Code of Practice are

safe for pregnant women to eat raw or partially cooked,

because they come from hens that have been vaccinated

against salmonella. These eggs will have a red lion stamp on

their shell and are safe to eat raw or partially cooked (eg. As

soft boiled eggs).

• Avoid eating raw or partially cooked meat, especially poultry

and shellfish.

To reduce your risk of getting toxoplasmosis:

• always wash your hands before and after handling food

• wash all fruit and vegetables, including ready-prepared salads

• cook raw meats and ready-prepared chilled meats

thoroughly

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Vitamins are needed for growth and development. There are 13

important vitamins: vitamins A, C, D, E and K and the vitamin B

series. Apart from vitamin D, which we get from sunlight, most

vitamins come from our diet. In the UK, it is quite common for

people to be low in vitamin D and folic acid (vitamin B9). These

vitamins are important in pregnancy and you can boost your levels

by taking a vitamin supplement. Supplements of other vitamins

are not usually routinely advised and Vitamin A may actually be

harmful in pregnancy. The various vitamins and whether they are

recommended in pregnancy are detailed below.

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