Pregnancy

Everything changes during pregnancy: your hair, your appetite, and (most noticeably) your waistline. A tiny human is growing inside you and YOU are fueling their growth. So aside from the obvious changes during pregnancy, you are also changing your caloric intake: both in amount and type. Adding in prenatal vitamins and 200 extra calories (in the first trimester)¹ may not seem challenging, however it is important to consider the types of calories you are consuming, particularly in how you distribute your fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.

During pregnancy, and later during lactation, protein consumption is critical for baby’s health. Proteins are the building blocks of our bodies, and consuming the right amount ensures not only healthy development of babies, but also for the production of breast milk post-partum.² What is the right amount? Some sources say anywhere between 10-35% of your caloric intake should be protein, others have found a “sweet spot” around 15-18%, and still others suggest adding an additional 25 grams daily to your diet.^2,3Your OB, primary care provider, or dietician can give you more specific recommendations for your particular needs.

The focus of this article will be on where that protein comes from, and how you can make informed decisions when choosing your protein.

Protein Powders: An Overview

Protein powders are a great way to get a lot of protein quickly and easily. Just add a scoop with water, milk, or non-dairy substitute, shake, and drink. Instant protein for your workout recovery or dietary supplementation. These are the two most common uses for protein powder: to facilitate workout recovery, or to supplement a diet that is low in protein (vegetarian, vegan, etc.). There are three major types of protein powders:⁴

Protein Concentrates: these are produced from extracting protein from a whole food source. They typically contain 60-80% protein, with the remaining 20-40% being carbohydrates and fats.
Protein Isolates: these also extract protein from whole foods and take an extra step of filtering out more of the carbohydrates and fats. These types typically are 90-95% protein.
Protein Hydrolysates: proteins are extracted from whole foods using heat and acids or enzymes. Hydrolysate proteins have gone through extra heating to break down the protein into its building blocks (amino acids). These are absorbed more quickly in the body.

Best Sources of Protein during Pregnancy

On top of that, your protein can come from a number of sources. I have listed the most popular below:⁴

Whey Protein: sourced from milk and is a complete protein (meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids). If you have a sensitivity to lactose, whey isolates may work better for you than concentrates, as more of the lactose sugar is filtered out. You might also consider a protein of a different source.
Pea Protein: sourced from yellow split peas. This source is high in fiber and branched chain amino acids (BCAAs—they digest more quickly), however it is not considered a complete protein because it has 8 out of the 9 essential amino acids.
Hemp Protein: plant-based protein that is high in omega-3 fatty acids and has a reputation of being easily digestible. This protein is also incomplete.
Soy Protein:⁵ sourced from soy beans, and contains some important vitamins that are often lacking in vegan and vegetarian diets (B12, D, etc.). This protein is also incomplete.
There are several other protein powder sources, such as egg, brown rice, mixed plant proteins, and casein (which is also from milk, it just digests more slowly). Each has its own benefits and shortcomings, so it is important to do your research and read the ingredients of protein powders as you shop.

Protein During Pregnancy

We discussed a little bit about the requirements for how much protein you may require during pregnancy, but let’s talk about where that protein comes from. In the end of the day, getting protein from whole foods is the “gold standard” of protein consumption. Animal sources of protein such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products are complete proteins, and contain the nine essential amino acids that are needed to build our body structures. Most of these sources also contain other important nutrients, like iron and vitamin B12. Plant-based sources of protein such as beans and hemp, while not complete proteins, can provide a majority of the essential amino acids among other important nutrients, like vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. See a complete list of whole food protein sources at the end of this article!

There is no “right” protein to consume. Ideally, we would all get a variety of protein sources throughout the day. Most of us can make that happen, however pregnancy—especially on a vegan or vegetarian diet—can make this more of a challenge. This is where protein powders can really come in handy: as a dietary supplementation. Adding one or two protein shakes per day might provide the extra boost in protein that pregnancy calls for and can be a handy replacement for when cravings kick in or if you have an aversion to meat (or other protein sources). Always confer with your OB, PCP, and/or dietician before adding any form of supplementation to your diet.

How I Selected Best Protein Powder While Pregnant

Once you get the green-light from your provider, how do you know what to look for? Hopefully, your provider will have some recommendations, and here are some general guidelines to keep in mind as you are reading labels:

Ensure that your protein is from a QUALITY source. Low quality proteins, particularly plant-based proteins, tend to have higher levels of heavy metals. Trace amounts are normal, however as the number gets higher, so does the likelihood that they protein powder is low quality.²
Beware of (certain) sweeteners. Saccharin is not recommended for women who are pregnant or nursing due to its ability to cross the placenta and remain in fetal tissue.² This could have health repercussions down the road for your child.
Check for additives! This one is big. A large portion of the protein supplement industry is oriented toward people looking to build muscle mass and you want to be sure that the protein you purchase is oriented toward your health goals. “Muscle building” protein may contain additives such as caffeine or creatine, which are contraindicated for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.²
Choose what works for your body. If you are gluten or lactose intolerant, check to make sure that the products you are looking at do not contain those items. If you eat a specific or restricted diet, there are likely protein supplement options to meet those requirements, and your provider may be able to guide you toward what you are looking for. Remember that protein supplementation is optional, and the necessary dietary increase in protein can be met with whole foods.

All in all, protein supplementation is meant to enhance your diet and your baby’s healthy development. Pregnant mothers are expected to increase their protein consumption to facilitate that development, as well as keep themselves functioning as usual, despite having another life inside of them. Protein powders are considered safe for pregnant women to use as long as you have conferred with your provider, and the protein is of good quality and works for your body.

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I do have one final important note: there is one factor that is even more important than protein consumption for pregnancy. Pregnancy weight gain is the greatest predictor of baby’s health known to date. Mothers who gain significant amounts of weight during pregnancy are more likely to have children who are at higher risk for heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. You may be eating for two, but it is not two adults you are feeding. I like to think of it as eating for one and a quarter. In fact, below are the recommendations Medline Plus for calorie increases during pregnancy and expected weight gain:¹

Weight Gain:

Normal weight healthy mothers should gain 25-35 pounds
Overweight mothers should gain 10-20 pounds
Underweight mothers should gain 35-45 pounds

Note: these are general guidelines. Always discuss with your provider what healthy pregnancy weight gain looks like for you.

Calorie Increases by Trimester:

First trimester: add 200 calories per day
Second trimester: add another 200 calories per day
Third trimester: add another 200 calories per day

Notice: over nine months of pregnancy, caloric intake increases by 600 calories total. That’s the equivalent of one additional meal, not the calories for an additional adult person.

Happy snacking!

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Whole Food Protein Sources:

Making the decision to have children can be challenging. Status of relationships, careers, finances, living situations, etc. all come into play…and then there’s biology. Can you even get pregnant? Should you get pregnant? Mothers have been giving birth at older ages than previous generations, having their first child at an average age of 26. The average age was 21 almost 45 years ago.¹Is this wise? We have also seen increases in the number of children born with autism, Down Syndrome, and other congenital defects, which could be related to the mother’s age. So, what’s the scoop? What actually happens that makes women better for pregnancy at some ages rather than others? Is there an ideal age to get pregnant? Let’s explore, shall we?

We begin at the beginning: female reproductive development—the parts that apply to actually getting pregnant, at least.

Puberty

Puberty begins around the age 9-10 and, on average, lasts four and half years. Surprised? I too thought puberty was at first menstruation, however, it is actually in the years leading up to that: when growth spurts, new body hair and sweat glands, and breast growth occur. The first menstrual period is actually toward the end of puberty.^2,3,4

Fertility

The first menstrual period does not necessarily mark the beginning of a woman’s fertility. Although her body is now capable of creating a suitable environment to grow a fetus, as well as providing an ovum for half of that fetus’ DNA, most females do not ovulate until about a year of menstruating.²At that point, regular ovulation (release of an egg from the ovary) begins and a woman can get pregnant. A woman remains fertile typically until her early fifties, when menopause begins, and ovulation becomes irregular before stopping all together.

Strictly biologically speaking, the female body is most fertile and in the best position to carry and deliver a child in her 20s. Women reach their fertile peak in their 20s, and are less likely to have health complications such as hypertension or gestational diabetes.^5,6,7 There is also less of a chance of miscarriages or other complications during delivery. For the baby, there is a lower risk of chromosomal abnormalities and other complications when the mother is in her 20s.⁷

This is not to say that getting pregnant at any other age will be markedly more challenging; research has simply found early twenties to be ideal. Here are the numbers^5,8:

Age	Risk of Infertility	Risk of Miscarriage
20s	6% (early)	10%
20s	9% (late)	10%
30s	15% (early)	12% (early)
30s	30% (late)	18% (late)
40s	64% (early)	34% (early)
40s	No data for late 40s	58% (late)

So really, women do not have a whole lot to worry about until late 30s and beyond. Let’s look at what’s behind some of these numbers for this age group.

Geriatric pregnancy

Women who conceive after the age of 35 are considered “geriatric pregnancies.” This is because at the age of 35, fertility begins to drastically decrease despite normal ovulation and menstruation.⁸There are many changes that occur in the egg cells, uterus, and hormones that cause this decrease in fertility. Research has found that there are greater chances of finding abnormalities in the microtubules and chromatin (cell structures) of the ova of women over 40 years old. These abnormalities can lead to spontaneous abortion and other complications.⁸ The uterus also decreases in functionality, which could cause problems with implantation or dysfunctional labor. Hormonally, women become less responsive to gonadotropins, which means that they have a lower number of follicles in their ovaries that are capable of maturing into an egg for release.⁸

Again, it is not impossible to become pregnant after 35, it is simply less common, and there are more risks to consider. For example, women in their mid-thirties and older are at a higher risk of high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. Along with that, comes an increased risk of miscarriage and complications due to uterine fibroids.⁵As stated previously, there is an increased rate of conceiving a child with Down Syndrome: 1/900 at age 30-39 and 1/100 at age 40+.⁵

Other factors

Along with physiological circumstances, there are other considerations to make when deciding the best age to get pregnant, including finances, relationships, and career. Many women are in debt from education expenses in their twenties, and sometimes even into their early thirties. Also, younger couples tend to have less money saved away for home, baby, and retirement.⁷ Ensuring that there is a structure in place to provide the time and care necessary to child and self without shirking financial obligations is no easy task.

This can usually be handled in the context of relationships by creating partnerships and support systems with loved ones, and those relationships should also be considered in the decision to get pregnant. The stability of the partnership, the age and support of future-grandparents, where friends are at in their lives and how everyone can be supported.⁷

To go along with financials, most twenty-year-olds do not have the job stability or accrued maternity days to have a baby without taking a financial hit. Some women prefer to develop their career before having children, and depending on their goals, that could be quite a long time.⁵ At this point, you are probably thinking there are only two options: work or be a mom. Not necessarily! There are always opportunities to be creative in childcare, work hours, and utilizing support systems to have a workable life.

Wait…What About Men?

Men’s fertility also declines with age, although much later in life. Their decline starts around age 60. While they will still be able to produce viable sperm, they are more likely to have genetic abnormalities than younger men.⁶Research has shown that the age of the female contribution to the child is much more influential, particularly in couples having children between 20-40 years old.⁸

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You have the facts: women peak biologically in their early 20s, and drastically decline after 35. Women in their twenties may not be in a stable life situation to care for a child, while women with well-established careers tend to have more financial flexibility and maturity. There are risks and benefits to having children at different ages, some biological, some with regard to lifestyle. An important note is that age is not the single factor that determines the health of your baby. Diet, exercise, prescription or illicit drug use, medical conditions, and a host of other factors can play into your pregnancy and the health of both you and your child. Talking to your partner, and to your doctor, about reproducing is a great way to get clear on your circumstances, options, and preferences.

Many couples struggle with infertility, and find solutions with IVF, egg/sperm donors, or adoption. Other women consider freezing their own ova in their twenties in order to use them when they are ready to start a family. There is a lot that goes into producing a child; from the miracle of conception all the way to labor and delivery. I hope this article provided a jumping off point for conversation around your family planning and wish you the best!

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Best Protein Powders For Pregnancy – Are They Safe? What you need to know