A preconception and early-pregnancy diet that contains lots of fruit, vegetables, seafood, dairy, eggs and grain may be associated with reducing risk of miscarriage, suggests a new review of research in the journal Fertility and Sterility.
University of Birmingham researchers analysed 20 studies on eating habits in the months before and shortly after conceiving a baby to see whether these studies showed evidence of association with a lower or higher chance of miscarriage. The team conclude that there is evidence to suggest a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, seafood, dairy products, eggs and grain reduces miscarriage risk.
Not surprisingly, these are foods which typically make up ‘healthy’ well-balanced diets, with previous evidence showing that eating a well-rounded diet which is rich in vitamins and minerals during pregnancy is important.
The research review found that, when compared to low consumption, high intake of fruit may be associated with a 61% reduction in miscarriage risk. High vegetable intake may be associated with a 41% reduction in miscarriage risk. For dairy products it is a 37% reduction, 33% for grains, 19% for seafood and eggs.
Led by Dr Yealin Chung, researchers also looked at whether pre-defined dietary types, such as the Mediterranean Diet or Fertility Diet could also be linked to miscarriage risk. They could not find evidence that following any of these diets lowered or raised risk.
However, a whole diet containing healthy foods overall, or foods rich in antioxidant sources, and low in pro-inflammatory foods or unhealthy food groups may be associated with a reduction in miscarriage risk for women.
A diet high in processed food was shown to be associated with doubling of miscarriage risk.
The studies included in the analysis focused on the peri-conception period, which is before and during the first 3 months of pregnancy. Data collected from a total of 63 838 healthy women of reproductive age was included, with information on their diets typically collected through food frequency questionnaires for each study.
Dr Chung explains:
“Miscarriage is common, with estimates suggesting 1 in 6 pregnancies end in miscarriage, and there are many known causes, from problems with the baby’s chromosomes to infections in the womb.
“Yet nearly 50% of early pregnancy losses remain unexplained and in the absence of a cause, parents often turn to their healthcare providers for guidance on the best ways to be as healthy as possible and reduce the risk of future miscarriages.
“There’s a growing body of evidence to show that lifestyle changes – including changes to diet, stopping smoking and not drinking alcohol – before conceiving and in your pregnancy’s early stages – may have an impact.”
Source: University of Birmingham
