Vegetarian diets during pregnancy and lactation

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Joana Moćkun, Jolanta Olszewska, Jakub Pietrzak, Lucyna Wójcicka, Aleksandra Śliwińska

4 (53) 2017 s. 520–524
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Fraza do cytowania: Moćkun J., Olszewska J., Pietrzak J., Wójcicka L., Śliwińska A. Vegetarian diets during pregnancy and lactation. Polski Przegląd Nauk o Zdrowiu. 2017;4(53):520–524.

Every year the number of people declaring exclusion of animal food from their diet, using different variations of vegetarianism, increases. Studies show that the motivations are different, ranging from the desire to take care of one’s health, ethic reasons and fear of harmful substances added to food, to the ecology and trend of being fit. Exclusion of meat from the diet of adults does not raise many concerns, is socially accepted and even becomes a sort of "fashion". Still, despite an increase in public awareness, many doubts arise from the use of non-meat diets in case of pregnancy women, children and adolescents. Fortunately, an increasing number and availability of research related to the development of children on vegetarian diets, increased the knowledge of parents who frequently and willingly, and above all, consciously refrain from giving their children meat, as well as other foods of animal origin. Pregnancy is a period in which the woman's body comes to a great many changes. Although before the fourth month of the pregnancy the demand for food and nutrients increases only slightly (except for folic acid), after this period, the expectant mother should pay a particular attention to the increase in the amount of specific vitamins and nutrients. The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada is of the opinion that a properly planned and balanced vegetarian as well as vegan diet, can be used in every period of human life - including pregnancy and lactation. Despite this official information which proves the safety and the proper development of the pregnancy, as well as the health of the fetus, this fact is controversial and one can still hear the statement 'vegetarianism or pregnancy'. Popular today is a statement declaring that women on meatless diets have problems with getting pregnant, as well as with proper development of the pregnancy. This thesis is not confirmed by any available research. In case of poorly balanced diet, both vegetarian and others, problems with fertility or numerous miscarriages may occur as a result of an insufficient supply of micro and macro elements. Future mother’s diet is of great importance not only for the development and proper growth of the fetus, but also for the development of the child already born. In the article below, we present a case study of a woman who was on a vegetarian diet during pregnancy and also raises her children according to vegetarian rules. Moreover, we also present recent dietary guidelines and publications, which clearly indicate that properly balanced vegetarian diets are safe at every stage of life.

Key words: vegetarianism, pregnancy, diet, lactation.



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