A nurse is providing nutritional counseling to a client who is in early pregnancy. Which of the following should the nurse recommend the client increase during the first trimester?

A. Calories. Significant increases in caloric intake are not necessary during the first trimester. Most women do not require additional calories until the second and third trimesters, when fetal growth accelerates. B. Folate. Folate (or folic acid) is crucial during early pregnancy, particularly in the first trimester, to prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Women are advised to increase folate intake before conception and during early pregnancy. C. Calcium. Calcium needs increase later in pregnancy when the fetus's bone development intensifies. While important throughout pregnancy, calcium is not the most critical nutrient to increase specifically in the first trimester. D. Protein. Protein is essential for fetal growth, but increased protein needs become more important in the second and third trimesters when fetal tissue development peaks. Early pregnancy focuses more on folate supplementation for neural development.