A study suggests that a mother who follows the famous Mediterranean diet during pregnancy has a lower risk of a fatal pregnancy condition.
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California, found that women following the diet were 28 percent less likely to develop preeclampsia.
The disease affects one in 14 pregnant women, including Kim Kardashian and Mariah Carey. It occurs when a woman’s blood pressure reaches dangerously high levels during pregnancy and she suffers kidney and liver damage.
Mediterranean diets are praised by doctors and nutritionists for their ability to prevent heart and brain problems and improve the overall health of eaters.
Researchers found that women who ate a Mediterranean diet were significantly less likely to develop preeclampsia, a potentially fatal pregnancy disorder (pictured).
The study released Thursday is JAMA Network Open and includes data from 7,798 women.
Participating women who were pregnant with their first child were asked to complete a food frequency questionnaire during their first trimester.
The questionnaire focused on the women’s eating habits in the three months before their visit and asked them to report their usual food and drink intake.
Responses were then categorized into the nine components of a Mediterranean diet: vegetables, fruit, nuts, whole grains, legumes, fish, monounsaturated to saturated fat ratio, red and processed meat, and alcohol.
The levels of each in a person’s diet were combined to calculate a Mediterranean Nutrition Score, which quantifies how much of the food a person ate.
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Dr. Bello, director of hypertension research at Cedars-Sinai, said: “We also looked at the individual components of the Mediterranean diet and found that higher intakes of vegetables, legumes and fish were associated with a lower risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. ‘
The results showed that a high Mediterranean diet rating was associated with a 21 percent lower risk of an adverse pregnancy outcome.
Specifically, it was linked to a 28 percent lower risk of preeclampsia and a 37 percent lower risk of gestational diabetes, which is when a woman develops diabetes during pregnancy.
Professor Christine Albert, chair of the Department of Cardiology, said diet was an “important lifestyle approach” to preventing unwanted pregnancy outcomes.
This can be especially valuable for pregnant women over 35.
Prof Albert added: “These results add to the growing body of evidence showing that the Mediterranean diet can play an important role in maintaining women’s health throughout their lives, including during pregnancy.”
DR According to Bello, long-term studies are needed to determine whether promoting a Mediterranean diet around conception and during pregnancy can prevent pregnancy complications and reduce future cardiovascular risks.
Preeclampsia affects up to eight percent of pregnant women worldwide. It is believed to account for 15 percent of early pregnancies in the US.
It is responsible for nearly 76,000 maternal deaths and the deaths of 500,000 babies each year.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
