Pregnancy + Fiber = lower chance of preeclampsia?

Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy that can lead to a much more serious complication, called eclampsia. Preeclampsia is characterized by high blood pressure, swelling and large amounts of protein in your urine.

While some women are at higher risk of developing preeclampsia than others, anyone can get it if she is pregnant. Some of the risk factors include having a history of:

• preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy or a close relative (sister, mother) who had it
• diabetes (gestational or Type 1 or 2)
• high blood pressure
• diabetes
• lupus
• kidney disease

Other women at higher risk are those who are:

• pregnant for the first time
• obese
• older than 35 years
• carrying more than one baby

There was a study that was recently published in an online issue of American Journal of Hypertension, which found that women with higher levels of fiber in their daily diet during the three months before pregnancy and through the first three months of pregnancy had a lower rates of developing preeclampsia.

It’s a simple fix, so it is something worth thinking about.

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