A Woman with PKU Becomes Pregnant.During Her Pregnancy,she Should

Question

A woman with PKU becomes pregnant.During her pregnancy,she should
A) eat and drink foods containing lots of phenylalanine.
B) take tyrosine supplements.
C) find out if her partner is a carrier.
D) follow a strict diet avoiding phenylalanine.
E) do nothing special.

Accepted Answer

During pregnancy, a woman with PKU should follow a strict diet avoiding phenylalanine to prevent birth defects and developmental delays in the developing baby. It's important to maintain blood phenylalanine levels within a safe range, which can be achieved by adhering to a low-phenylalanine diet and monitoring blood Phe levels closely with the help of a dietician and medical team. Eating foods with high phenylalanine content and not following a strict diet can be harmful to both the mother and the baby. Tyrosine supplements may be considered in some cases but should only be taken under the supervision of a medical professional. Knowing the partner's carrier status is not relevant to the management of the pregnancy in a woman with PKU.