Determination of Protein Requirements in Pregnancy

Determination of Protein Requirements in Healthy Pregnant Women Using Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Technique

Protein is an essential part of our diet. It is used to build muscle and body tissue, send signals throughout our body and to support the immune system. Dietary protein is even more crucial during pregnancy as it is needed for healthy growth and development of the baby. There is very minimal data available on how much additional protein is required during pregnancy. Current recommendations are based on older techniques such as nitrogen balance studies of non-pregnant adults and minimally based on pregnancy specific data. There is no scientific information regarding the amount of protein needed during different stages of pregnancy.

The investigators hypothesize that the current recommendations of protein intake during pregnancy are underestimated.

The goal of this study is to measure protein requirement in healthy pregnant women (19-35y)using a more quick and modern technique called the indicator amino acid oxidation technique (IAAO).

Inclusion Criteria:Healthy pregnant women

• Singleton pregnancy
• Maternal age 19-35y
• In good health (free of chronic/acute disease,full range of physical mobility)
• Healthy pre-pregnancy body mass index

Exclusion Criteria:Women

• not pregnant
• Pregnant with more than one child
• Singleton pregnancy outside the age range of 19-35y
• Not in good health or have a metabolic, neurological, genetic, or immune disorder, including gestational diabetes or anemia
• smoke or consume alcohol during their pregnancy
• classified as underweight (<18.5 kg/m2), overweight (25-30 kg/m2) or obese (>30 kg/m2)
• allergic to eggs and egg protein
• severe nausea/vomiting throughout their pregnancy