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Choline is a nutrient needed by the body. These nutrients are found in many types of food. In pregnant women, these nutrients not only provide nutrition for the mother, but also for the fetus in the womb. So, how much do pregnant women need choline and what are the consequences if choline deficiency during pregnancy? Check out the following reviews.

How much choline intake do pregnant women need?

Choline is a substance that is very similar in shape to the B group of vitamins, even though this substance is not included in the vitamin group. Actually the body has produced this substance, but the amount does not meet the needs so it needs to get additional from food.

Choline is found in foods that contain natural fats because in choline there are compounds that make up fat.

There are several foods that contain choline, such as beef liver, chicken meat, fish oil, eggs, kidney beans, soybeans, cauliflower, broccoli, sunflower seeds, mushrooms, spinach, brown rice, milk, and yogurt.

The need for choline between men and women is different. For women, the daily intake of choline should be 425 milligrams (mg). However, the need increases during pregnancy, namely to be 450 milligrams of choline per day.

What are the roles of choline in the body?

Choline plays an important role in various systems in the body. When the need for choline is not fulfilled, there will be symptoms of the body feeling weak, muscle pain, memory loss and lack of focus, mood swings, and even nerve damage. However, for pregnant women, there are other possible dangers that can occur to the mother and the fetus.

Choline protects the liver from fat accumulation. Cholesterol and triglycerides are two forms of fat that often build up in the liver. With choline, these fats are transported to other parts of the body where they are needed so they don't accumulate. So, choline provides protection for pregnant women from the risk of fatty liver and other liver diseases in the future.

During the third trimester of pregnancy, the volume of cells in the brain decreases. This condition can cause memory to become weaker so that the mother may often experience forgetfulness.

Fortunately, the body can minimize these effects with choline. Getting additional choline intake from food helps fat better absorbed by the body to build cell membranes in the brain.

So, choline can prevent shrinkage of brain volume during pregnancy. In addition, the fetus who gets choline will have a very good memory.

What happens if you are deficient in choline during pregnancy?

A study by the University of Illinois published in the Division of Nutritional Science shows that choline deficiency during pregnancy causes disruption in fetal brain development.

According to the American Journal of Epidemiology, choline deficiency during pregnancy can increase babies born with neural tube defects, such as spina bifida or anenchepaly.

In addition to working with B vitamins to support metabolism and brain function, choline also works together with folic acid. So, these three nutrients need each other in order to carry out their functions properly in the body.

When pregnant women have low levels of folic acid, choline can be a substitute. Folic acid is needed during pregnancy to support the development of the fetal brain and spinal cord.

Choline is also found in breast milk, this is the reason why pregnant and lactating women are important to meet their daily intake of choline. Lack of choline, can reduce the nutrients found in breast milk later.