It depends…not all protein powders are created equal. In order to be sold on the shelf in Canada, protein powders (or any other natural health product) must be licensed by Health Canada. If product is found to be safe, effective and of high quality “under recommended conditions of use” it will receive a natural health product number (NPN#) on the label. However, protein powders are often designed for athletes and those wanting to improve their sport performance.  Meaning that the “recommended conditions of use” of most protein powders aren’t planned with pregnant women in mind. In the US, protein powders are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), exposing the Canadian consumers to a slew of protein powders available online for purchase, that have little to no quality regulation or safety testing.  For the above reasons, I recommend that pregnant women choose protein powder brands that have been third party tested. NSF and Informed Choice are two of the most respected independent certification programs that test products for accuracy of ingredients/nutritional content, and screen for banned substances and contaminants like heavy metals, toxic chemicals and pathogenic bacteria. You will know your protein powder is third party tested if it has the NSF logo or informed choice check mark on the label.