[Guideline Summary] Summary of Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)

4 min read / 12.11.2019

General Nutrition Obstetrics / Gynaecology Healthy Eating & Hydration

[Guideline Summary] Summary of Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)

The newly published RCOG patient leaflet outlines recommendations on healthy eating and vitamin supplements to support the health of both mothers and babies.

Keeping healthy when you are having a baby depends on both the amount and the type of food you eat before you become pregnant and during your pregnancy.

Background:

Both the quantity and the type of food a woman eat before and during pregnancy are essential to healthiness throughout pregnancy. The newly published RCOG patient leaflet outlines recommendations on healthy eating and vitamin supplements to support the health of both mothers and babies.

Quick summary of recommendations:

Tips to eat healthily:

✔ Base meals on starchy foods like bread and rice. Chose wholegrain if possible

✔ Eat at least 5 portions of different fruits and vegetables daily rather than foods with higher fat content and calories

✔ Eat a low-fat diet

✔ Avoid drinks with high level of added sugar and foods with high fat or sugar content

✔ Eat fiber-rich foods like oats, beans, lentils, grains and seeds

✔ Eat some protein daily. Choose lean meat and try to eat 2 portions of fish per week

✔ Eat dairy foods that are low in fat for calcium

✔ Watch the portion size. Do NOT "eat for two"

✔ Always eat breakfast

✔ Limit caffeine intake to 200 mg a day

Need of extra vitamins during pregnancy

13 important vitamins include the vitamin B series, vitamins A, C, D, E and K
Many multivitamin tablets for use during pregnancy that contain a small amount of lots of vitamins are safe to take.
Women should avoid taking large doses of Vitamin B supplements (other than folic acid), vitamins A and E unless for a particular medical reason
They are essential in pregnancy and women can boost their intake by taking a vitamin supplement, for example:

Folic Acid

The recommended daily dose is 0.4 mg and women are recommended to start taking extra folic acid before conception and continue to take until 13^th week of gestation
Women at risk of having babies with spina bifida are advised to take a daily dose of 5 mg of folic acid:
- Who have had a previous pregnancy affected by spina bifida
- Who or whose partner has spina bifida
- Who are taking certain medications for epilepsy
- Who have coeliac disease or diabetes
- Whose BMI is 30 or more
- Who have sickle-cell anaemia or thalassaemia

Vitamin D

ALL pregnant women are recommended to take a daily dose of 10 mcg of vitamin D during pregnancy and lactation
Women who are at particular risk of having a low levels of vitamin D include:
- Whose family origin is South Asian, African, Caribbean or Middle Eastern
- Whose BMI is 30 or more
- Who stay indoors a lot
- Who usually cover their skin when they go outdoors or usually use sun-protection cream
- Whose diet is low in vitamin D-rich foods like eggs, meat, vitamin D-fortified margarine or breakfast cereal
# Women who are in one of the above situations may need a higher daily dose of vitamin D

Link to RCOG