During pregnancy and lactation recommended dietary intake of calcium is?

UPUMS Nsg.Officer-2024

Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Easy

Appeared in: UPUMS Nsg.Officer-2024

Explanation

The recommended dietary intake of calcium for adult women (19 years and older) during pregnancy is 1000 mg/day.
This amount is crucial for the proper development of the fetal skeleton, teeth, and other vital systems.
During pregnancy, the maternal body adapts by increasing the efficiency of calcium absorption from the gut, so the recommended intake does not need to be higher than for non-pregnant adults.
Meeting this requirement prevents the demineralization of the mother's bones to provide for the fetus, thus protecting against future osteoporosis.

Option B: While 1200 mg/day is a higher intake, it is not the standard recommendation for all pregnant adults. It is often suggested for specific populations.
Option C: 800 mg/day is insufficient to meet the combined needs of the mother and the developing fetus.
Option D: 400 mg/day is a severely deficient amount of calcium during pregnancy and would almost certainly lead to the mobilization of calcium from the mother's bones, posing a significant health risk.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for calcium during pregnancy and lactation as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a key role in educating expectant mothers about nutritional needs, including calcium intake, to ensure healthy outcomes for both mother and baby.
It is important to assess for dietary restrictions, such as lactose intolerance or veganism, and provide alternative calcium-rich food suggestions or discuss supplementation with a healthcare provider.
What if the patient is lactose intolerant? The nurse should recommend non-dairy sources like calcium-fortified soy/almond milk, tofu, leafy greens (kale, broccoli), and canned fish with bones (sardines), or discuss a calcium supplement.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the core of the question: It asks for a specific nutritional value (calcium RDA) for a specific population (pregnant and lactating women).
This is a factual recall question. Access your knowledge of standard nutritional guidelines for pregnancy.
Recall that the RDA for calcium for adult women is 1000 mg/day.
Consider how pregnancy affects this requirement. Remember that while the demand for calcium increases, the body compensates by improving absorption, so the RDA for adults remains the same.
Evaluate the options. 1000 mg/day matches the standard recommendation. 1200 mg/day is a plausible distractor for adolescents or lactation specifically. 800 mg and 400 mg are too low.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for calcium during pregnancy and lactation.
Stem keywords: pregnancy, lactation, recommended dietary intake, calcium
Lead-in keywords: is
Negative lead-in flag: false

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