A healthy diet around the time of conception through the second trimester can reduce the risk of several common pregnancy complications, suggests a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. Pregnant women in the study who scored high on any of the three measures of healthy eating had a lower risk of gestational diabetes, pregnancy-related blood pressure disorders, and preterm birth. The study was conducted by Qilin Zhang, MD, PhD, of NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and colleagues. It appears American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Researchers analyzed dietary data collected at multiple times during pregnancy from the NICHD Fetal Growth Study. About 1,900 women answered their food questionnaires between weeks eight and 13 of pregnancy and were asked to estimate what they had eaten in the previous three months. At 16 to 22 weeks and 24 to 29 weeks, the women marked what they had eaten in the previous 24 hours. Their responses were scored according to three measures of healthy eating: the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), the Alternative Mediterranean Diet (AMED), and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. All three steps emphasize consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes while limiting red and processed meat.
Overall, the researchers found that following either diet during pregnancy through the second trimester was associated with a lower risk of gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, preeclampsia and preterm delivery. For example, women with high AHEI scores at 16 to 22 weeks had a 32% lower risk of gestational diabetes than women with low AHEI scores. Women with higher DASH scores at eight to 12 weeks and 16 to 22 weeks had a 19% lower risk of pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders. A higher AMED score at 24 to 29 weeks or a higher DASH score at 24 to 29 weeks was associated with a 50% lower risk for preterm birth.