<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>There is an increasing number of people who go vegetarian. Some young parents also switch to this diet. The safety of vegetarian diets, especially vegan diets, is very important, especially during pregnancy. Unfortunately, reference publications do not provide coherent data on the safety of vegetarian diets during pregnancy. On the one hand, the vegan diet has advantages because it reduces the risk of heart disease and gestational diabetes. On the other hand, vegetarians/vegans should be aware of potential deficiencies of some nutrients (iron, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, iodine) and the clinical consequences for the fetus. For example, iron deficiency may affect cognitive abilities, behavior, intelligence and increase the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight of infants. Plant food contains non-haem iron with variable absorption. Therefore, the vegan diet should include nutrients increasing the bioavailability of iron, e.g. ascorbic acid, carotene and retinol. Due to the fact that animal food is the main source of vitamin B12, vegans are at a very high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, which will affect the infant’s weight at birth. Low level of vitamin D, which is prevalent in animal food, is the most common deficiency among vegans and lacto-ovo vegetarians. This vitamin prevents gestational diabetes, reduces insulin resistance and guarantees normal function of the musculoskeletal system. Zinc deficiency during pregnancy may lead to preterm birth, neural tube defects or even miscarriage. In view of the clinical consequences of potential deficiencies of nutrients, the vegetarian/vegan diet should be well balanced.</p>
</abstract>

There is an increasing number of people who go vegetarian. Some young parents also switch to this diet. The safety of vegetarian diets, especially vegan diets, is very important, especially during pregnancy. Unfortunately, reference publications do not provide coherent data on the safety of vegetarian diets during pregnancy. On the one hand, the vegan diet has advantages because it reduces the risk of heart disease and gestational diabetes. On the other hand, vegetarians/vegans should be aware of potential deficiencies of some nutrients (iron, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, iodine) and the clinical consequences for the fetus. For example, iron deficiency may affect cognitive abilities, behavior, intelligence and increase the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight of infants. Plant food contains non-haem iron with variable absorption. Therefore, the vegan diet should include nutrients increasing the bioavailability of iron, e.g. ascorbic acid, carotene and retinol. Due to the fact that animal food is the main source of vitamin B12, vegans are at a very high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, which will affect the infant’s weight at birth. Low level of vitamin D, which is prevalent in animal food, is the most common deficiency among vegans and lacto-ovo vegetarians. This vitamin prevents gestational diabetes, reduces insulin resistance and guarantees normal function of the musculoskeletal system. Zinc deficiency during pregnancy may lead to preterm birth, neural tube defects or even miscarriage. In view of the clinical consequences of potential deficiencies of nutrients, the vegetarian/vegan diet should be well balanced.

The Safety of a Vegan Diet During Pregnancy

Student’s Scientific Circle of Clinical Pharmacy of Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Biopharmacy

Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Biopharmacy

Postępy Higieny i Medycyny Doświadczalnej

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Bezpieczeństwo diety wegańskiej podczas ciąży

There is an increasing number of people who go vegetarian. Some young parents also switch to this diet. The safety of vegetarian diets, especially vegan diets,...

The Safety of a Vegan Diet During Pregnancy

Article Category: Review

Publicado en línea: 16 jun 2021

Páginas: 417 - 425

Recibido: 18 may 2020

Aceptado: 26 feb 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0014.9343

Palabras clave
vegan diet, pregnancy, advantages, disadvantages, vegetarian diet

© 2021 Miłosz Miedziaszczyk et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The Safety of a Vegan Diet During Pregnancy

Article Category: Review

Publicado en línea: 16 jun 2021

Páginas: 417 - 425

Recibido: 18 may 2020

Aceptado: 26 feb 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0014.9343

Palabras clavevegan diet, pregnancy, advantages, disadvantages, vegetarian diet

© 2021 Miłosz Miedziaszczyk et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Palabras clave
vegan diet, pregnancy, advantages, disadvantages, vegetarian diet