2023-05-28 14:56:49
Researchers from the Technion and the Rambam Medical College monitored hundreds of women before and during pregnancy and found: these are the products in your pantry that may reduce the chances of developing preeclampsia
Audia Schwetz
Publication: 15:53 - 28/05/23
A new study jointly conducted by the Rambam Medical College and the Faculty of Medicine at the Technion between 2019-2021, examined the diet and lifestyle habits of women, for three months before they became pregnant and by monitoring the results of the pregnancy, including the development of preeclampsia.
Preeclampsia is one of the most dangerous diseases for pregnant women and their fetuses, which sometimes requires early termination of pregnancy and premature birth, and may even endanger the life of the mother and the fetus. The new study, which surveyed the dietary habits of about 600 women, brought up some findings about the relationship between the woman’s place of residence and the use of sunscreen for preeclampsia.
The research was led by the Ph.D. student in the Technion Faculty of Medicine, Shani Abutbul-Vard, the supervisors are Dr. Gila Rosen, a researcher and consultant in the field of preventive medicine and foodtech, Dr. Ido Sholt, director of the Maternal and Fetal Medicine Unit at the Rambam Medical Center and the research assistant of the Department of Clinical Nutrition In Rambam, Dr. Carmit Shani Levy, in collaboration with the Carmel Diagnostics company.
Women living in a rural area compared to urban women
The results of the study showed that women who live in a rural area increase their chances of developing preeclampsia by 4.3 times compared to women who live in an urban area. The researchers believe that in rural areas there is less access to follow-up and treatment during pregnancy, and thus women living in these areas are not diagnosed in time. Another explanation is the explanation that the extermination of agricultural crops in rural areas may contribute to environmental pollution, which causes the development of preeclampsia.
The results of the study also showed that women’s more frequent use of sunscreen resulted in a 77% greater chance of developing preeclampsia. Dr. Ido Sholt, Director of the Maternal and Fetal Medicine Unit at Rambam who took part in the study, explains that “this finding is probably related to the fact that with more widespread use of sunscreen, we block the production of vitamin D in the skin. A lack of vitamin D is linked to the development of preeclampsia.” .
Dr. Schulte recommends that women check before becoming pregnant whether their body contains a reservoir of vitamin D and accordingly consume a nutritional supplement that contains it: “The vitamin has many benefits in terms of the normal development of the pregnancy and the fetus.”
What are effective nutritional habits to reduce the chance of developing preeclampsia?
In the study it was found that women who consumed nutritional supplements, their chances of developing poisoning decreased by 48%, with the most significant being Multivitamin and folic acid. Shani Abutbol-Vard, the doctoral student who carried out the study, states that “multivitamin consumption during pregnancy reduced the chance of developing preeclampsia by 56%, while folic acid consumption during pregnancy reduced the chance of developing preeclampsia by 51%. This is good news for women. Those planning a pregnancy, because it is customary to take folic acid as part of the preparation process on a daily basis, although it appears that it is desirable to be careful and continue to take folic acid during the entire pregnancy as well.”
“As for multivitamins, the matter is a bit more complicated,” explains Dr. Rosen, former director of the Department of Clinical Nutrition at Rambam, and one of the initiators of the research, “Pregnant women take them according to popular recommendations, and not always according to what they need. It is highly recommended to consult with a dietician or gynecologists who deal with midwives”.
Another finding that came up in the research, and exists in the pantry of every Israeli home is – Legumes. Dr. Rosen explains that women who consumed more legumes reduced their risk of developing preeclampsia by 49%.
It was also found that the chance of developing preeclampsia decreased by 98% as much as women consumed natural food and not processed. “Increased inclusion of trans fatty acids in the dietary menu, for example, increased the chance of developing preeclampsia by 4%,” emphasizes Dr. Rosen.
Also an increase in the consumption of foods containing The amino acid tryptophan reduced the chances of developing poisoning. It was noted that the recommendation not to consume tryptophan supplements during pregnancy that can raise blood pressure is well known, but the finding regarding the food is innovative, and there are still no recommendations regarding the reduction of food products rich in tryptophan since they are very important for the supply of quality protein and calcium during pregnancy. The issue is expected to be examined as part of a follow-up study.
Meanwhile, the study revealed that a risk group or criteria for a higher likelihood of developing preeclampsia are women who are overweight, whose chances increased by 24%, and among women who are obese (obesity with BMI indicators over 30) the chances increased by 95%.
In conclusion, Dr. Rosen says that “a normal and healthy pregnancy is significant for the health of the fetus, but also for the continuation of its life after birth. The nine months of pregnancy are a window of opportunity for the development of a health profile for the entire course of adult life, and it is largely determined by maintaining a proper diet and adopting a healthy lifestyle. The research findings definitely strengthen this connection.”
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