Dietary Fiber Important in Pregnancy

Eating more fiber during the first trimester of pregnancy seems to reduce the risk of developing preeclampsia, says a report in the American Journal of Hypertension.

Preeclampsia is a potentially fatal condition characterized by elevated blood pressure.

The finding appears to be another good reason for pregnant women to maintain good fiber intake, one expert says.

"There's not really a downside to taking more fiber," notes Dr. Jennifer Wu, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "Many women suffer from constipation in pregnancy, and it can only help that. If you can increase your fiber anyway for constipation, it may also decrease preeclampsia."

Fiber Linked to Lower Blood Pressure
There are other benefits to increasing fiber intake, including lowering blood pressure.

According to the Preeclampsia Foundation, some 5 percent to 8 percent of women experience the dangerous condition during pregnancy. The only way to end preeclampsia is to deliver the baby - obviously a more reasonable strategy the further along a pregnancy has progressed.

Risk factors for the condition include obesity, a family history of type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension, depression, anxiety, diet low in fruits and vegetables, and low levels of physical activity.

The findings seem to corroborate previous findings on the subject from somewhat smaller studies.

For this study, more than 1,500 pregnant women in Washington State filled out a 121-item questionnaire listing the types of food they ate, both before they conceived and during the early weeks of their pregnancy.

Women who consumed 21.2 grams a day or more of fiber were 72 percent less likely to develop preeclampsia compared with women who ate less than 11.9 grams a day, the researchers found.

Two Slices of Whole Grain Bread
Triglyceride concentrations were lower and levels of HDL or "good" cholesterol concentrations were higher in women consuming more fiber, the study notes.

It was not clear if the authors adjusted for other dietary factors and weight.

The authors, from the Swedish Medical Center and the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine in Seattle, note that adding an extra 5 grams of fiber a day was associated with a 14 percent reduction in the risk of developing preeclampsia.

Consuming two slices of whole-grain bread daily would be the equivalent to adding 5 grams of fiber a day, they say.

Always consult your physician for more information.

Online Resources

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American Dietetic Association

American Journal of Hypertension - Dietary Fiber Intake in Early Pregnancy and Risk of Subsequent Preeclampsia

American Pregnancy Association

Dietary Guidelines - MyPyramid.gov

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Preeclampsia Foundation