Pregnancy And Fiber

Pregnant women should pay attention to how much fiber they eat if they want to have a healthy pregnancy. Between three and seven percent of all pregnant women can face a dangerous condition called preeclampsia.
"It consists of high blood pressure developing and then often the baby will be affected, be growth restricted and then the mother actually can get very ill from the disease and need early delivery," said Maternal Fetal Medicine Dr. Tanya Sorensen.
Researchers took a look at 1,500 women to see whether dietary fiber could help avoid pregnancy problems. They found women who had normal recommended amounts of fiber - -around 20 to 30 grams per day -- had lower risks of preeclampsia by 70% compared to women with lower fiber intake.
"By identifying factors in women, in terms of what their lifestyle is or their diet is, we're hoping that will help us figure out, perhaps, both how to control it, but maybe even what the disease, where it comes from," said Dr. Sorensen.
The findings can be found in the American Journal of Hypertension.