Dietary Fiber Important in Pregnancy
Eating more fiber during the first trimester of
pregnancy seems to reduce the risk of developing preeclampsia, says a report
in the American Journal of Hypertension.
Preeclampsia is a potentially fatal condition
characterized by elevated blood pressure.
The finding appears to be another good reason for
pregnant women to maintain good fiber intake, one expert says.
"There's not really a downside to taking more fiber,"
notes Dr. Jennifer Wu, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "Many women
suffer from constipation in pregnancy, and it can only help that. If you can
increase your fiber anyway for constipation, it may also decrease
preeclampsia."
There are other benefits to increasing fiber intake,
including lowering blood pressure.
According to the Preeclampsia
Foundation, some 5 percent to 8 percent of women experience the
dangerous condition during pregnancy. The only way to end preeclampsia is to
deliver the baby - obviously a more reasonable strategy the further along a
pregnancy has progressed.
Risk factors for the condition include obesity, a
family history of type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension, depression, anxiety,
diet low in fruits and vegetables, and low levels of physical activity.
The findings seem to corroborate previous findings on
the subject from somewhat smaller studies.
For this study, more than 1,500 pregnant women in
Washington State filled out a 121-item questionnaire listing the types of
food they ate, both before they conceived and during the early weeks of
their pregnancy.
Women who consumed 21.2 grams a day or more of fiber
were 72 percent less likely to develop preeclampsia compared with women who
ate less than 11.9 grams a day, the researchers found.
Triglyceride concentrations were lower and levels of
HDL or "good" cholesterol concentrations were higher in women consuming more
fiber, the study notes.
It was not clear if the authors adjusted for other
dietary factors and weight.
The authors, from the Swedish Medical Center and the
University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine in
Seattle, note that adding an extra 5 grams of fiber a day was associated
with a 14 percent reduction in the risk of developing preeclampsia.
Consuming two slices of whole-grain bread daily would
be the equivalent to adding 5 grams of fiber a day, they say.
Always consult your physician for more information.