Being pregnant is hard work — even metabolically, study shows

Having a baby is more energetically expensive than commonly thought, according to new research. Over the course of a pregnancy, creating and carrying a baby takes the equivalent of 164 Snickers candy bars in dietary calories. The research used data from thousands of scientific articles to look at the energy cost of reproduction across various species. The bulk of the extra energy goes toward developing and carrying the fetus. The findings challenge previous perceptions of pregnancy needs and highlight the importance of adequate calorie intake and sleep during pregnancy.