Eating fruit lowers risk of complicated pregnancy

According to a new study, women who eat at least three pieces of fruit in the month before conceiving are less likely to suffer from complications in pregnancy.

 

The study, which was conducted by scientists from King’s College London, found that certain lifestyle factors can help women to have a normal pregnancy.

 

Beneficial factors such as increasing fruit intake, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing blood pressure and stopping drug misuse and alcohol consumption can go a long way in helping women have an uncomplicated pregnancy.

 

Experts monitored 5,600 first time mothers from the UK, New Zealand, Australia and Ireland. They asked the mother about their medical history, analysed blood pressure and conducted an ultrascan between 19 and 21 weeks; the findings were then published in the British Medical Journal.

 

Little was previously known about the factors that helped a woman have a healthy pregnancy with most of the research focusing on risk factors and adverse pregnancies.

 

Dr. Lucy Chappell from the women’s health at King’s College London says: “We have always known that a mother’s general health is important, but until now we did not know the specific factors that could be associated with a normal pregnancy.”