Minerals in Pregnancy and Their Impact on Child Growth and Development.

During pregnancy, women undergo metabolic and physiological changes, and their needs are higher, to maintain growth and development of the fetus. If the nutritional status of the expectant mother is not satisfactory, some maternal and neonatal complications can occur. In the second and third trimester of pregnancy, there is a reserve of nutrients in the fetus that can be utilized after birth; thereby, children present an accelerated growth in the first years of life, which is a proven response to the available nutrition pattern.