The document debunks the myth that pregnant women need to "eat for two" by eating twice as much food. While pregnant women do need more nutrients, calories, protein and vitamins, it does not mean doubling food intake. Eating too much can increase health risks for both mother and baby such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, and complications during birth. The extra food intake should be balanced and focused on providing optimal nutrition for both mother and developing child. Weight gain during pregnancy should be gradual and proportional to caloric needs at each stage.

1. Debunking a Nutritional Myth - 2nd Draft
Name: Jessica Duarte Sousa
Instructor: Sean R. Dailey
Course: ENG 103A - English for Academic Purposes, “Co-op”
Date: June 6, 2014
Myth: Eating for Two is Necessary During Pregnancy
Women who have spent their lives worrying about their weight often find themselves
relieved during pregnancy: they believe they have a good reason for do not need to worry about
what they eat, because they are eating for two. Unfortunately, this evidence is not totally true.
During pregnancy, diet is more important than ever; women need more protein, vitamins,
and minerals, and more calories. However, eating for two does not mean eating twice as much. It
means that the additional foods eaten are the main source of nutrients for the child. Thus,
balanced and healthy meals are necessary for the mother and her child. Women need to gain
weight gradually during the pregnancy, and it should be proportional to the increase of caloric
intake recommended for each phase of pregnancy.
The belief that eating for two is a good idea can lead to serious consequences: increased
risk of high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, and gestational diabetes. It can also affect the birth
itself with a higher rate of interventions, including caesarian sections and even an increased,
though still rare, risk of stillbirth.
In multiple gestation, pregnancy of twins, triplets or multiple births, the weight gain and
the need for certain nutrients should be higher when compared to pregnant women of one child.
These children have a much higher risk of being born prematurely. The pre-pregnancy weight
and the weight acquired during the gestation have a strong influence on the duration of

2. pregnancy and the final weight of the children. Weight is gained to establish a stock of nutrients,
crucial to the adequate structural and functional development of the placenta, and transfer of
nutrients to the fetus. Thus, it is important to determine the body mass index to plan a proper diet
control weight gain.
In short, it is recommended that women appropriately increase caloric intake during
pregnancy and get the necessary nutrients for their health and for child's health. However, this is
not the same as doubling the intake. In addition, the diet in a multiple gestation needs to be
planned more carefully; necessary nutrients should be higher when compared to a unique
gestation.
References:
http://www.uwmedicine.org/patient-resources/nutrition-services/nutrition-myths Access in June
30, 2014
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120626-can-pregnant-women-eat-for-two Access in June 30,
2014
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pregnancyandnutrition.html Access in June 30, 2014
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/pregnancy-breastfeeding/pregnancy-nutritional-needs.html
Access in June 30, 2014