Dundas and Yarbro (2000) reported most
women seem to either consume too few or too many
calories with few women consuming appropriate
caloric levels for optimal health during pregnancy.
Research suggests that many factors including dietary
knowledge, discomfort, and doctor interaction
influence dietary behavior during pregnancy.
Begley (2000) suggested that women feel they are
lacking general nutrition knowledge while Dundas
and Yarbro (2000) reported that low and high levels
of calorie consumption may be affected by discomfort.
Pregnant women have reported eating small
amounts of food more frequently to counteract the
feeling of fullness during their third trimester, and
because many believed that their baby would be
healthier if they ate more frequently. Furthermore,
physical sensations associated with food deprivation
changed during pregnancy making them feel hunger
more often in some cases and less in others (Fairburn
& Welch, 1989).