This document discusses maternal nutrition during pregnancy. It notes that maternal nutrition focuses on a woman's nutritional status as it relates to bearing and nurturing children. During pregnancy, women experience numerous physiological changes including hormonal changes, weight gain, breast size growth, cardiovascular changes, and changes in body fluids. Inadequate nutrition during pregnancy can increase health risks for both mother and baby, including complications during labor, premature birth, and nutritional deficiencies in infants. The needs for vitamins, minerals, proteins and other nutrients increase during pregnancy to support fetal growth and development as well as maternal tissue growth. Poor maternal nutrition can negatively impact fetal development and increase health risks later in life. Supplementation with iron and folic acid is especially important during pregnancy