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  • Page | Last updated: 08 Apr 2021

Dietary recommendations for protein intake for pregnant and lactating women

Health Promotion Knowledge Gateway

The recommended intakes are termed differently because different nutrition and health- related organizations used different criteria.

Frequently used terms are: Average Requirement (AR), Population Reference Intake (PRI), Safe Level of Protein (SLP), Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA); Dietary Reference Value (DRV).

Source

Recommended Intakes in pregnant and lactating women

EFSA 2012

  • 'For pregnant women a PRI for protein of 1, 9 and 28 g/d in the first, second and third trimesters, respectively, is proposed in addition to the PRI for non-pregnant women'.
  • For lactating women, an additional 19 g protein/d during the first six months of lactation (exclusive breastfeeding), and 13 g protein/d after six months (partial breastfeeding) is proposed in addition to the PRI for non-lactating women.

WHO/FAO/UNU 2007

  • 'Additional protein is recommended for pregnant women of 1, 9 and 31 g protein/day in the first, second and third trimesters, respectively'.
  • 'it is recommended that the higher intake during pregnancy should consist of normal food, rather than commercially prepared high protein supplements'.
  • During lactation, extra protein intakes are 19 g/day during the first three months, falling to 12.5 g/day after 6 months.

NNR 2012

  • 'The dietary protein content in the Nordic countries is generally higher than 12 E%, and the protein quality is gen­erally high'. As a result, 'a lactating as well as a pregnant woman can, in most cases, cover her protein requirements with her normal diet if her energy requirements are covered. Based on this, the recommended E% protein during pregnancy and lactation is the same as for non-pregnant women'.
  •  'Consequently, most pregnant and lactating women are able to cover their protein needs by consuming their normal diet in a quantity that allows a weight gain within the recommended limits. However, it is recommended that the increased intake of protein during pregnancy – due to increased energy intake – should consist of normal food rather than of high-protein supplements'.

DACH 2016

  • During pregnancy, an additional 10g/day (for the second and third trimester) is recommended.

AFSSA 2007 (pdf)
  • For pregnant women, recommended intakes raise gradually from 0.82 g per kg body weight per day at the beginning of the pregnancy to 1 g per kg body weight per day at the end of the pregnancy. In addition, 'it must be highlighted that an excessively high-protein diet in the mother may be shown to be harmful to the foetus'.
  • For breastfeeding women recommended intakes are of 1.1 g per kg body weight per day.