Is fiber safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about fiber during pregnancy?

1. 28 grams a day is the adequate intake for total fiber in pregnancy, derived from a standard of 14 grams per 1,000 calories of total energy intake. 1
2. Adults should get 22 to 34 grams of fiber a day depending on age and sex, and low fiber intake is associated with constipation and other digestive problems. 2
3. Fiber should be added to the diet a little at a time so the body adjusts, and drinking water and other liquids helps the fiber do its job. 2
4. Whole grains, legumes, fruits such as berries, pears, and apples with the skin on, vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, and green peas, and nuts including almonds and pecans are the practical high-fiber options. 2
5. The estimated average requirement for carbohydrate in pregnancy is 135 grams a day, so fiber-rich carbohydrate foods do double duty rather than competing with other needs. 1

Is fiber safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. Constipation often starts earlier than people expect, since rising progesterone slows the gut from the first weeks. Fiber is harder to eat when nauseated, so fruit, oats, and smoothies tend to work better than raw salads.
• Second trimester. Usually the easiest trimester to hit the target. If you started an iron supplement and constipation arrived with it, fiber and fluids are the first adjustment before anyone changes the iron.
• Third trimester. The physical squeeze on your gut is greatest now and constipation peaks. Adding fiber without adding fluid can make things worse rather than better, so the two go together.