Here are some examples of a single serving: one slice of bread, a half-cup of rice or pasta, one cup cold cereal; one cup milk or yogurt, two one-inch cubes of cheese; two ounces of cooked meat, poultry or fish, a half-cup of cooked dried beans, two tablespoons peanut butter; a half-cup of cooked or cut-up vegetables, one cup salad greens, three-quarters cup of vegetable juice; one apple, banana or orange, a half-cup of cut-up fruit, three-quarters cup of fruit juice.
STAYING SAFE
Be sure, too, to drink plenty of water - up to 2 liters a day - and get regular exercise. Pregnant women can walk, dance, swim and do yoga, but should avoid high-risk activities like scuba diving and skiing.
Many popular foods are potentially dangerous during pregnancy. Pregnant women should refrain from the following:
Raw fish and shellfish, a possible source of the parasite Toxoplasma that can cause fetal blindness and brain damage.
Large predatory fish like swordfish, shark, king mackerel and albacore tuna (fresh or canned), which can contain risky levels of mercury. The Food and Drug Administration says to limit albacore tuna to 170g a week, but it is acceptable to eat up to 340gs a week of chunk light tuna, shrimp, salmon, pollock and catfish.
Unpasteurized milk and soft cheeses - feta, Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, queso blanco, queso fresco and Panela, unless the label says "made with pasteurized milk." They may contain the food-poisoning bacteria Listeria that can cause miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth or fatal newborn illness.
Hot dogs and deli meats, unless cooked until steaming hot. These can become contaminated with Listeria after processing.
Refrigerated pates, meat spreads and smoked seafood (unless it is cooked before you eat it). Canned versions are safe.
Soft-scrambled eggs and foods like homemade salad dressing and eggnog made with raw or lightly cooked eggs. Cook eggs until the white and yolk are firm to avoid salmonella poisoning.
Raw sprouts, including alfalfa, clover, radish and mung bean.
Herbal teas and supplements. Their safety in pregnancy is unstudied. Some, like black cohosh or large amounts of chamomile tea, can raise the risk of miscarriage or premature birth.
Alcohol, which can cause fetal damage, including mental retardation and abnormal behavior. Although an occasional drink may be all right, no safe amount has been established.
Women contemplating pregnancy and those already pregnant are advised to take a daily prenatal vitamin that contains 400 micrograms to 600 micrograms of folic acid to help prevent neural tube defects, as well as 18 milligrams to 27 milligrams of iron to prevent iron-deficiency anemia, which has been linked to premature birth and low birth weight babies.
But prenatal supplements do not contain enough calcium; 1,000 milligrams a day are needed to protect a pregnant woman's bones and build strong bones and teeth in her baby. Be sure to eat enough calcium-rich foods, like milk, cheese and leafy greens, or take a calcium supplement daily.
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