title: Intake of tapwater and total water by pregnant and lactating women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite theoretically higher requirements for water due to physiologic demands of pregnancy and lactation, little is known of actual ranges of intake in pregnant and lactating women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based estimates of total water and tapwater intake in women of reproductive age were derived using data from the 1977-78 USDA Nationwide Food Consumption Survey. Three-day average intakes were calculated for 188 pregnant women, 77 lactating women, and 6,201 non-pregnant, non-lactating control women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total water intake (mean +/- SD) was 1,940 +/- 686 g/day (median 1,835) for control women, 2,076 +/- 743 g/day (median 1,928) for pregnant women and 2,242 +/- 658 g/day (median 2,164) for lactating women. Tapwater intake was 1,157 +/- 635 g/day (median 1,065) for control women, 1,189 +/- 699 g/day (median 1,063) for pregnant women, and 1,310 +/- 591 g/day (median 1,330) for lactating women. Total water intake was equal to or greater than 3,000 g/day among 7 percent of control women, 11 percent of pregnant women, and 13 percent of lactating women. Tapwater intake was equal to or greater than 2,000 g/day among 10 percent of control women, 15 percent of pregnant women, and 8 percent of lactating women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results should be useful in estimating amounts of nutrients and toxic substances that women of reproductive age obtain through the water supply.
authors.affiliation: Lipid Metabolism-Atherogenesis Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Ershow
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Cantor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004326:Drinking; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D014481:United States; D014881:Water Supply