Benefits Of The Mediterranean Diet For Pregnant Women, According To Study: Potentially Reduces The Risk Of Preeclampsia

Illustration of the Mediterranean diet for pregnant women to reduce the risk of preeclampsia (iStockphoto)

YOGYAKARTA - A study conducted on 8,000 women who consumed vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts, olive oil, and seeds, found that the risk of blood pressure disorders decreased by 20 percent. A study conducted by Johns Hopkins Medicine, reported by the Johns Hopkins University page, Friday, July 15, involved women of various races to prove the potential and benefits of the Mediterranean diet.

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication that has the potential to be life-threatening. This condition is characterized by high blood pressure and organ imbalance in the last trimester of pregnancy or after delivery. In the United States, preeclampsia occurs in about 2-6 percent of women and is two hooks more common in dark-skinned women than other racial groups.

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Illustration of the Mediterranean diet for pregnant women to reduce the risk of preeclampsia (iStockphoto)

A report on the study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found that women who self-reported eating a Mediterranean-style diet had a 20% lower or reduced risk of developing preeclampsia. Even after taking into account various other risk factors, the risk of preeclampsia decreased.

The Mediterranean diet is mostly made up of vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts, olive oil, whole grains, red meat, and very limited amounts of processed foods. This diet has been studied for a decade for its benefits in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The lead author of the study, Anum Minhas, said the new findings could be a recommendation to reduce the reduction in maternal mortality (MMR) with a healthy diet.

As many as 10 percent of the women who participated in this research survey, or a total of 848, developed preeclampsia. In fact, women who entered pregnancy with chronic high blood pressure had a higher risk of preeclampsia compared to pregnant women without a previous history of hypertension. While women with diabetes and obesity, twice the risk of developing preeclampsia than women without these conditions.

Besides being useful in reducing the risk of preeclampsia, the Mediterranean diet is also healthy for the body. Noell Mueller, professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg, said clinical trials are still needed to evaluate the benefits of the Mediterranean diet in different groups of pregnant women. Because it is necessary to examine external factors, including economic factors as well as biological factors such as genetics in racial groups.