Women's Nutrition

		Lona Sandon, MEd, RD/LD Section Editor, Current Trends in Nutrition Section Editor, Women's Nutrition - Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Nutrition; UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas - American Dietetic Association Spokesperson

Women's Diets: Pregnancy
Posted: October 2005
Source: UT Southwestern Health Watch

You may see your doctor or your dentist for regular exams, but there's another kind of health professional that women may need to see: a registered dietitian. A registered dietitian is a food and nutrition expert who has met certain academic and professional requirements. This week on Healthwatch, we'll look at ways a registered dietitian may be able to help women be healthier.

If you're planning to start a family, you should consult a dietitian.  Lona Sandon , a registered dietitian at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, says pregnant women need more calories, calcium and iron. They also need to be sure they're getting adequate folic acid to prevent birth defects such as spina bifida.

A registered dietitian can help you put together an eating plan to make sure you gain the right amount of weight and get adequate nutrition during pregnancy.