Pregnancy And Vegan Diet Go Hand In Hand?

There are many reasons why people decide to succumb to a vegetarian or vegan diet. No matter if it is a desire to be healthier, to lead an ecological lifestyle or just to remain sensitive to animal welfare, this type of nutrition can have an adverse influence on the animal's health. optimal intake of certain vitamins and minerals, especially when you are pregnant! So how do you combine pregnancy and a vegan diet to cover your needs and those of your unborn baby? Does the lack of animal products have repercussions on the health of the fetus? Dévaita.fr takes a close look at the advice of the best nutritionists and dieticians to reconcile veganism with pregnancy.

Pregnancy and vegan diet: can you be pregnant and vegan?

Is being pregnant and vegan compatible? This is the big question, the answer to which is far from simple! Considering the fact that fruits and vegetables are high in nutrients important for health, it seems a little odd that a plant-based diet can cause problems. However, meat and dairy products contain high amounts of vitamins and minerals essential for the body that are not found in plant foods. There are therefore precautions to take for pregnant vegan women.

According to the American Dietetic Association, the topic "pregnancy and vegan diet" does not present any risk to the mother or to the health of the child, provided that the pregnant woman supplements herself with zinc, vitamin B12 and iron (under form of food or medicine). On the other hand, the Public Health France affirms that when one does not consume any product of animal origin, one risks serious deficiencies in vitamin B12 leading to severe anemias. Indeed, only animal products contain this vitamin. Even with a balanced diet, vegetarians or vegans must therefore, in conjunction with the attending physician, take a supplement in the form of medication or food supplement.

Fertility and the vegan diet

We all know how much food affects fertility and the ability to get pregnant! So what about being a vegan and wanting to have a baby? Believe it or not, veganism can have a positive effect on the ability to conceive? People with a diet high in grains and vegetables may actually be more fertile than those who don't get as many. So here's how to maximize your ability to conceive:

• check if your body mass index is within the norm
• taking folic acid supplements every day
• avoid fat and sugar
• avoid tobacco and alcohol
• have blood tests to determine your iron levels
• take vitamin B12 (in the form of food or medicine)
• do not neglect sport
• don't skimp on hydration

Pregnant and vegan

Health experts are unanimous on this point: future vegan mothers must be well monitored from a nutritional point of view to avoid any possible deficiency. During the 9 months of pregnancy, having special medical attention, given the difficulties that such a diet can present, is a real must to cover the nutritional needs of mother and baby. In short, it is essential to regularly consult a nutritionist and your doctor, your gynecologist and your midwife on your diet.

Which foods to favor when you are pregnant and vegan?

Among the key recommendations of nutritionists and dietitians are the following foods:

• Vegetables and fruits for the supply of vitamins, minerals, fibers.
• Green vegetables for calcium
• Whole grains for their high content of vitamin B, minerals and fiber (wholemeal breads, wholemeal pasta, brown rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, oatmeal)
• Legumes rich in protein, iron and fiber
• Oilseeds (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds) for their protein, calcium and good fats contribution
• Vegetable oils (linseed, rapeseed, walnut, olive oil) generally rich in omega 3

Please do not:

• eating too many starches or vegetables
• forget about proteins, generally essential for a good pregnancy
• neglecting sources of vitamin B12

Regarding the calcium intake, even if you eat almonds, pulses and Chinese cabbage, it will not be enough. You should also drink calcium mineral water. As for omega 3, it is necessary to favor certain algae which are rich in it. For iron, reconcile natural sources with the intake of nutritional supplements. Ditto for vitamin D.

Menu worthy of a vegan mom-to-be

Breakfast: Start the day with a green smoothie with spinach, lemon, banana and oat bran.

Snack: Between breakfast and lunch, opt for a cereal bar.

Lunch: appetizer of raw vegetables and cider vinegar sauce or rapeseed oil with sweet potatoes and lentils

Snack: a fruit and almonds

Dinner: finish with Chinese noodles with broccoli, peppers, onions, carrots and tofu, all accompanied by olive oil and soy sauce. Take a plant-based yogurt for the desert.

According to several experts, the vegan diet protects the fetus from PCBs, heavy metals and dioxins found in dairy products, meat and some fish. Thanks to the fiber, pregnant vegan women are less likely to have constipation issues, which are very common in moms who consume meat.

Pregnancy and vegan diet: warning signs not to be overlooked

Although veganism offers several advantages during pregnancy, the risks and warning signs (serious deficiencies in calcium, vitamin D, essential fatty acids such as EPA and DHA, iron, vitamin B12, growth retardation) should not be overlooked. fetus)! Some nutritionists claim that the diet should be stopped during the nine months of pregnancy. In order for the future baby to be healthy, the woman must expand her menu and favor all food families, adding dairy products, a little meat and seafood to her plate.

In any case, in the event of warning signs related to the development of the fetus, generally detected during a medical consultation or blood tests, it is crucial to check the food balance of the mother-to-be, whether she is vegan or not..

Vegan diet and breastfeeding

Another questionable period after the vegan pregnancy is obviously breastfeeding. So, is the milk of vegan mothers just as nutritious as that of omnivorous mothers? The answer is yes ! Thanks to the high consumption of vegetables and fruits, the milk of vegan women must be even richer in antioxidants. It must not contain residues of dioxins, PCBs, heavy metals or antibiotics, present in meat and fatty fish.



If the mother does not consume enough foods rich in omega 3 type DHA, her milk will be poor too. DHA is involved in the maturation of cells in the brain and retina. If the baby does not get enough during the 3rd trimester of development and during breastfeeding after birth, his sensorineural skills may be less developed. To conclude, we let you discover the opinion and experience of a vegan mom in the video above!