Pregnancy nutrition for weeks 21–24
Movement may be more noticeable, sleep-wake patterns begin to form, and the lungs practice breathing movements while they keep developing.
What is developing
- The placenta continues growing (though the baby weighs more than the placenta from around this stage).
- Breathing movements are practiced, though lungs are not yet ready to work fully.
- Sleep and waking patterns begin to form, though they may not match yours.
Nutrient highlights
These highlights organize food comparisons. Daily nutrient needs continue throughout pregnancy; priority labels are not trimester-specific intake targets or medical advice.
Iron
High priorityIron supports expanding maternal blood volume and fetal needs.
Pregnancy increases iron requirements; iron deficiency is common and matters for oxygen transport.
Protein
High priorityA growth-and-maturation stretch: protein remains a core building block.
Protein supports tissue growth for both fetus and mother during pregnancy.
Vitamin C
Medium priorityVitamin C supports tissue structure and can help with iron absorption.
Vitamin C supports collagen and can improve absorption of iron from plant foods.
Zinc
Supporting priorityZinc supports growth and immune function.
Zinc is involved in many enzyme systems and supports immune and growth processes.
What could I eat around week 23?
These combinations put this chapter's iron, protein, and vitamin C highlights into familiar meals. They are examples to adapt, not a week-specific meal plan or a change to your daily nutrient targets.
- Boiled lentils with washed raw red pepper. The NIH iron table lists about 3 mg iron in ½ cup boiled lentils; its vitamin C table lists about 95 mg in ½ cup raw sweet red pepper. Vitamin C can help your body absorb iron from plant foods. Compare PregNut's boiled lentils and raw red pepper records per 100 g, then use the portion tool for the amount you serve.
- Cooked salmon with cooked broccoli. FDA lists salmon as a lower-mercury “Best Choice”; CDC advises cooking fish to 145°F or until opaque and separating easily with a fork. The NIH vitamin C table lists about 51 mg in ½ cup cooked broccoli. Compare the cooked sockeye salmon and boiled broccoli nutrient records, and use FDA's fish chart to plan weekly seafood servings.
These are food-composition comparisons, not a treatment for low iron or a substitute for prenatal care. If you avoid fish, the vegetarian protein guide has other options; the iron guide explains food pairings and prenatal labels.
Practical notes
- Second trimester often means about 340 extra calories/day, depending on your starting weight and situation.
Sources
- NHS 111 Wales: Pregnancy week by week (weeks 21-24)
- CDC: Weight gain during pregnancy (calorie needs by trimester)
- health.gov MyHealthfinder: Eat healthy during pregnancy (calorie needs by trimester)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Iron (Health Professional)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplements and Life Stages: Pregnancy (Health Professional)
- National Academies Press: Dietary Reference Intakes (Protein and Amino Acids; pregnancy RDA summary)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin C (Health Professional)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Zinc (Health Professional)
- FDA/EPA: Advice about eating fish
- CDC: Safer food choices for pregnant women