Protein is one of the most important nutrients during pregnancy. It supplies the raw materials your body needs to build fetal tissue, expand your blood supply, and support a growing placenta. The standard recommendation is about 71 grams per day, though the actual amount you need depends on your body weight, how many babies you’re carrying, and how far along you are.
Why Protein Matters During Pregnancy
Protein breaks down into amino acids, which are the building blocks your body uses to construct new cells. During pregnancy, that construction project is enormous: your baby’s organs, muscles, and brain are all being assembled from scratch, while your own body is producing extra blood, growing a placenta, and expanding the uterus. All of this requires a steady supply of amino acids.
The brain is especially sensitive to protein availability. Animal research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that protein restriction during pregnancy reduced the number of neural stem cells in the fetal brain and suppressed their ability to multiply across multiple stages of development. The effects weren’t limited to severe deficiency. Even moderate restriction during the earliest days of pregnancy permanently altered the proportion of neurons in the brain and impaired short-term memory in adulthood. While human brains develop differently, the underlying biology is consistent: building a brain requires protein, and shortfalls during critical windows can have lasting effects.
Protein also plays a role in how your body handles blood sugar. A randomized clinical trial published in Diabetes Care found that consuming 15 to 30 grams of whey protein before a meal significantly lowered post-meal blood sugar spikes in women with gestational diabetes. The effect was dose-dependent, with 30 grams producing the largest reduction. Even women without gestational diabetes saw lower glucose peaks. This happens because protein triggers the release of hormones that help your body manage insulin more effectively.
How Much Protein You Need
The Mayo Clinic recommends 71 grams of protein per day during pregnancy. That’s roughly 25 grams more than the standard recommendation for non-pregnant adults. Some researchers argue this number is still conservative, particularly in the third trimester when fetal growth accelerates and demand for certain amino acids rises sharply.
One amino acid that illustrates this is glycine, which your body can normally produce on its own. During late pregnancy, though, your need for glycine outpaces what your body can make. Research from the American Society for Nutrition found that glycine becomes “conditionally indispensable” in the third trimester, meaning you need to get enough from food. Glycine is found in collagen-rich foods like bone broth, skin-on poultry, and gelatin, as well as in legumes and dairy.
If you’re carrying twins or triplets, your protein needs jump considerably. Brigham and Women’s Hospital recommends 100 grams per day for twin pregnancies, reflecting the additional tissue being built and the greater expansion of your blood volume.
Can You Get Too Much Protein?
Yes. More protein isn’t always better. The World Health Organization reviewed the evidence on high-protein supplementation during pregnancy and found no positive health benefits. More concerning, the evidence suggested an increased risk of babies being born small for their gestational age. This may seem counterintuitive, but an excess of protein can displace other important nutrients like carbohydrates and fats, and it may place extra strain on the kidneys during a time when they’re already working harder.
The takeaway is that protein intake during pregnancy should be adequate, not maximal. Aiming for 71 grams daily (or 100 grams for multiples) through a balanced diet is the sweet spot supported by current evidence.
Best Protein Sources During Pregnancy
Animal-based proteins like eggs, poultry, fish, lean meat, and dairy are complete proteins, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids in the proportions your body needs. Greek yogurt is a particularly efficient option, packing more protein per serving than regular yogurt. A single hard-boiled egg provides about 6 grams of protein and is easy to prepare in advance.
If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you can get complete protein by combining foods that complement each other’s amino acid profiles. Some practical options:
- Rice and beans: One cup provides about 6 grams of protein. Beans are rich in lysine, which rice lacks, and rice supplies methionine, which beans are low in.
- Peanut butter on whole wheat bread: Two slices with two tablespoons of peanut butter deliver about 14 grams of protein.
- Pita and hummus: One whole wheat pita with two tablespoons of hummus provides roughly 8.7 grams of protein.
- Sprouted grain bread (like Ezekiel): Made from a mix of grains and legumes, two slices contain 8 grams of complete protein with no combining required.
You don’t need to eat complementary proteins at the same meal. As long as you’re eating a variety of protein sources throughout the day, your body will have the amino acids it needs.
Protein When You’re Dealing With Nausea
Morning sickness can make hitting your protein goals feel impossible, especially in the first trimester. The key is choosing protein-rich foods that are small, bland, or easy to eat without much preparation.
Nuts are one of the most practical options. They’re calorie-dense, so you don’t need to eat a large volume to get meaningful protein, and they’re easy to keep in a bag or on a nightstand. Greek yogurt works well for women who can tolerate dairy, since the tartness can actually help settle nausea for some people. Hummus with raw vegetables like carrots or cucumber is another option that combines protein with fiber to help you feel full longer. Hard-boiled eggs are worth preparing in batches at the start of the week so they’re ready when you have a window of appetite.
Eating small, frequent snacks with protein rather than waiting for large meals is generally easier on a sensitive stomach. Protein also digests more slowly than simple carbohydrates, which helps keep blood sugar stable and can reduce the waves of nausea that come with blood sugar dips.