New Pregnancy Study Reveals Women’s Bodies Produce 96% of Energy Needed during Reproduction, Dispelling Common Myths

A study published in the journal Science has revealed that 96% of the energy required during pregnancy comes from the woman herself. This is higher than previously expected, with previous estimates suggesting that energy related to reproduction was stored in the fetus. However, researchers found that only about 4% of the energy consumed during pregnancy is stored in the baby’s tissues, with the remaining 96% being additional energy needed by the woman’s own body.

The study, led by Ph.D. Dustin Marshall from Monash University, evaluated the energy requirements for reproduction in 81 different species. The results showed that the amount of energy required is influenced by the animal’s size and metabolism, with warm-blooded mammals needing three times more energy than reptiles, for example.

Marshall suggests that these findings may help explain why mammals take great care of their offspring even after they are born. The research sheds light on the metabolic demands of pregnancy and the energy needed to support both the mother and developing fetus throughout this important stage of life.