Determination of Protein Requirements in Pregnancy

Protein is an essential part of our diet. It is used to build muscle and body tissue, send signals throughout our body and to support the immune system. Dietary protein is even more crucial during pregnancy as it is needed for healthy growth and development of the baby. There is very minimal data available on how much additional protein is required during pregnancy. Current recommendations are based on older techniques such as nitrogen balance studies of non-pregnant adults and minimally based on pregnancy specific data. There is no scientific information regarding the amount of protein needed during different stages of pregnancy.

The investigators hypothesize that the current recommendations of protein intake during pregnancy are underestimated.

The goal of this study is to measure protein requirement in healthy pregnant women (19-35y)using a more quick and modern technique called the indicator amino acid oxidation technique (IAAO).

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Pregnancy

Age range

19 year–35 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Child & Family Research Institute

Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z4H4, Canada

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Healthy pregnant women

Singleton pregnancy
Maternal age 19-35y
In good health (free of chronic/acute disease,full range of physical mobility)
Healthy pre-pregnancy body mass index

Exclusion criteria

Women

not pregnant
Pregnant with more than one child
Singleton pregnancy outside the age range of 19-35y
Not in good health or have a metabolic, neurological, genetic, or immune disorder, including gestational diabetes or anemia
smoke or consume alcohol during their pregnancy
classified as underweight (<18.5 kg/m2), overweight (25-30 kg/m2) or obese (>30 kg/m2)
allergic to eggs and egg protein
severe nausea/vomiting throughout their pregnancy

Treatment and study plan

protein intake

Dietary Supplement

Oral consumption of Eight hourly experimental meals- Includes 4 tracer-free experimental meals containing a mixture of free amino acids, calories from a flavored liquid and protein free cookies and 4- labeled amino acid experimental meals.

Primary outcomes

13 Carbon dioxide production

Time frame: 8 hours (1 study day)

Urine and breath samples will be collected during the study to measure the rate of oxidation of tracer in expired breath and flux by enrichment in urine.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of British Columbia

Other

Collaborators

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

Registry information

Official study title

Determination of Protein Requirements in Healthy Pregnant Women Using Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Technique

Important dates

Study start: 2011
Primary completion: 2013
Study completion: 2014
First posted: Feb 5, 2013
Registry last updated: Jul 18, 2017

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed