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Pregnancy & Fertility

Pregnancy Calorie Calculator

Calculate your daily calorie needs during pregnancy by trimester. Free pregnancy calorie calculator with weight gain guidance.

Pregnancy Calorie at a glance

If you log meals, this is the companion number: it uses the same units and daily framing as the diary, which makes comparing your intake against the target a one-glance check rather than a conversion exercise.

Calculate your daily calorie needs during pregnancy by trimester. Free pregnancy calorie calculator with weight gain guidance.

Rather than a single trimester figure, the Pregnancy Calorie below personalizes it - your trimester adds the increment shown in the code on top of your own pre-pregnancy energy needs.

Pregnancy calorie calculator

Your results

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Pre-preg TDEE
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Extra calories
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Total daily

About the Pregnancy Calorie Calculator

This calculator provides evidence-based targets and interpretation based on current nutritional science and dietary guidelines. The formulas and reference ranges used are drawn from authoritative sources including the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (Dietary Reference Intakes), the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030, and peer-reviewed research published in journals such as the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the New England Journal of Medicine, and JAMA.

How this calculator works

The calculator uses validated formulas that account for individual factors such as age, sex, body weight, and activity level. The results are personalized to your inputs and include interpretation categories (low, normal, high) based on established clinical or nutritional reference ranges. Always interpret results in the context of your overall health, diet, and lifestyle, a single number rarely tells the full story.

Practical guidance

Use this calculator as a starting point for understanding your nutritional needs or health metrics. The results are educational, not diagnostic, always discuss significant findings with your healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplement regimen, or medication. For best results, recalculate periodically as your body composition, activity level, or health status changes. Track trends over time rather than focusing on single measurements, as day-to-day variation is normal and expected.

Evidence base and limitations

All nutritional targets are based on population-level recommendations that apply to most healthy individuals. Individual needs may vary based on genetics, medical conditions, medications, pregnancy, lactation, and other factors. The calculators do not replace professional medical or nutritional advice. If you have a chronic health condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take medications that affect nutrient metabolism, consult a registered dietitian or physician for personalized guidance.

Editorial and formula review
Formulas verified against published peer-reviewed sources Last verified

Formula sources, population limits, and references for this pregnancy calculator are documented in our public methodology. Read the methodology · Medical disclaimer

Frequently asked questions

First trimester: no extra. Second trimester: ~340 extra/day. Third trimester: ~452 extra/day.
Most women don't need to. Focus on nutrient-dense foods and track weight gain at prenatal visits.
Eat small, frequent meals. Nausea typically improves by weeks 14-16.
No. Pregnancy is not the time for calorie restriction. Even obese women should gain 11-20 lb.
About 500 extra calories/day above pre-pregnancy maintenance.