Pregnant women who follow a Mediterranean diet have a lower risk of pre-eclampsia and complications during pregnancy.
- Pre-eclampsia is responsible for a third of very premature births in France according to Inserm.
- It can lead to serious complications in 10% of cases and, in the short term, the vital prognosis of the mother and her fetus are at stake.
40,000 women are affected by pre-eclampsia each year in France, according to National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm). It’s about a complication occurring during the last trimester of pregnancy, with no known predisposing factor. The manifestations are high blood pressure – which can lead to life-threatening attacks – and high albuminuria, a kidney problem. Still according to Inserm, pre-eclampsia is the second leading cause of maternal death in France.
28% reduction in the risk of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women
To limit the risk of pre-eclampsia, researchers have just found a solution: the Mediterranean diet! This one can be defined as cuisine based on products known to be good for the body, such as olive oil, fruits, vegetables, legumes, etc. The dishes of this Mediterranean diet can be rich but are balanced… The study was published in the journal JAMA Network Open. They believe that this diet would reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia but also other pregnancy-related complications such as gestational diabetes, premature delivery, etc.
“A healthier diet is associated with less risk of complications during pregnancy, the most important being the risk of pre-eclampsia which is reduced by 28%, explains Nathalie Bello, lead author of the study, in a communicated. Importantly, this link between the Mediterranean diet and lower risk of complications was observed in a geographically, racially and ethnically diverse population.On the other hand, the researchers observed that this risk reduction was even greater in pregnant women over the age of 35.
Pregnancy: fewer complications thanks to the Mediterranean diet
To achieve this result, the researchers studied data collected between 2010 and 2013 from 7,798 women pregnant with their first child. Of these, 10% were 35 or older, 11% were non-Hispanic black, 17% were Hispanic, and 4% were Asian. They had to complete a questionnaire on their eating habits, including drinks, during the first trimester of pregnancy. Thus, the authors were able to calculate their score for the Mediterranean diet.
The scientists observed that those who had a high score on the Mediterranean diet were 21% less likely to have complications during their pregnancy, 28% for pre-eclampsia and 37% for gestational diabetes. “We found that higher intakes of vegetables, legumes and fish were linked to a lower associated risk of pregnancy complications“, develops Nathalie Bello.
This study therefore extends the list of benefits of the Mediterranean diet… Indeed, for the general population, it is already recognized as allowing to reduce the risk of certain cancers and cardiovascular diseases, to slow down the cellular aging process, to prevent obesity, etc.