Vegetarian diets tend to be lower in protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12, B2 and D, due to the dietary absence of products of animal origin. Nutrient deficiencies could have a serious impact on your baby’s development.

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Iron intake is often the biggest problem. Plant sources of iron like potatoes, dried fruit, dark green vegetables and beans should be included in your diet on a daily basis. Combining iron-rich foods with foods rich in vitamin C can enhance iron absorption.

So, when you eat a baked potato, drink a glass of orange or guava juice to ensure that the available iron is readily absorbed. Routine iron supplementation during pregnancy is advisable for vegetarians.

The relevant nutrients can be found in the following sources, which should form an integral part of your diet:

• Calcium: milk, yoghurt and cheese; or dried fruit, figs, rhubarb and whole-wheat bread.
• Zinc: fish and shellfish; or ricotta cheese, avocados, tomatoes and spinach.
• Vitamin D: butter, margarine and oil (go for canola or olive oil).
• Vitamin B12: the only source of this vitamin is meat and meat products – a strict vegetarian needs to take supplements during pregnancy and lactation.
• Vitamin B2: whole-wheat bread and cereal, almonds and seaweed (spirulina).

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