ABSTRACT

The nutritional physiology of human pregnancy is still poorly defined. The restriction of essential nutrients in the diets of pregnants humans for research or other purposes poses etkical questions. The knowledge depend on data from epidemiology, food supplementation studies, and cliunical observations from women who appear to be having normal pregnancies. It is not wellknown whether there are adaptations in nutrient metabolism that protect fetus malnutrition. The function of fetoplasentar unit is more complex than heretofore believed. In this paper, the knowledge heretofore archiemed are summarized and general premises related good nutritional care during pregnancy are given.