Healthy Diet During Pregnancy Prevents Complications, Even Among The Overweight

A new British study shows that expectant mothers who consume a healthy diet monitored by health professionals prevents excess weight gain in pregnancy and reduces the risk of pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia, diabetes, high blood pressure and early delivery. Women – event the overweight and obese – who followed a calorie controlled diet were 33 percent less likely to develop pre-eclampsia, one of the most dangerous pregnancy complications involving raised blood pressure and protein in the urine. Their risk of gestational diabetes was 60 percent lower, of gestational high blood pressure, 70 percent lower, and of early delivery, 32 percent lower.