In 10 seconds? A new association between Mediterranean Diet and pregnancy outcomes has been evaluated, finding that women who stick to this type of diet during pregnancy have a lower risk of developing preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.
What are preeclampsia and gestational diabetes? Preeclampsia – which is mostly mild - affects the mom’s blood vessels and the baby’s blood supply. The condition usually starts affecting some pregnant women (about 4% in the US) from week 20 of the pregnancy. It is usually accompanied by high blood pressure, potential headaches, and blurred vision and is “cured” by delivering the baby, sometimes early. Gestational diabetes (affecting about 2-10% of women in the US) develops during pregnancy for women who did not have diabetes before and also disappears after giving birth. Once it’s been diagnosed, it is important to keep a healthy diet and to keep active.