Research
Energy balance
Vegetarian and vegan diets are associated with lower maternal BMI and reduced risk of overweight/obesity compared to omnivorous diets, but may carry risks of low bone mineral density and osteoporosis if calcium intake is insufficient.
Vegetarian and vegan diets often lead to a healthier BMI and better lipid profiles compared to omnivorous diets. However, you must ensure you are eating enough calories and key minerals like calcium to protect your bone health. Don't fear weight gain, but do fear nutrient gaps.
ModerateQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
cohort data have shown that low-fat diets enriched with fruit, vegetables, and fibre can lead to a reduction of risk factors for coronary heart diseases, a better lipid profile, lower body mass index (BMI), and lower blood pressure
Why this rating
Based on observational cohort data and general dietary guidelines, not specific RCTs on pregnancy outcomes.
Source
The Effects of Vegetarian and Vegan Diet during Pregnancy on the Health of Mothers and Offspring
Giorgia Sebastiani et al. · Nutrients · 2019
DOI 10.3390/nu11030557
narrative_reviewCited 259×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Well-planned vegetarian and vegan diets during pregnancy are safe for maternal and fetal health but require strict monitoring and supplementation of key micronutrients (B12, D, iron, calcium, zinc) to prevent deficiency-related adverse outcomes.Moderate
- Vitamin B12 deficiency is highly prevalent in vegetarian and vegan pregnant women, increasing in the third trimester, and poses a risk for neural tube defects and neurological impairment if not supplemented.Moderate
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