Healthy eating ‘could reduce risk of preterm delivery in pregnant women’

Pregnant women who maintain a healthy diet could reduce their own risk of suffering birthing complications later down the line.

This is according to a new Swedish study from the University of Gothenburg, which saw around 66,000 women completing scientifically-evaluated questionnaires about what they had been eating and drinking since becoming pregnant.

It was revealed that the group of women with the healthiest pregnancy diet had a roughly 15 percent lower risk of preterm delivery compared with those with the most unhealthy diet, even after controlling for ten other known risk factors.

Although this study did not address the underlying causes for this association, it suggests sticking to vegetables, fruit, whole grain products and certain types of fish could be advisable for expectant mothers.

Linda Englund-Ogge, researcher at the Sahlgrenska Academy of the University of Gothenburg, said: "Pregnant women have many reasons to choose a healthy diet … but this is the first time we can statistically link healthy eating habits to reduced risk of preterm delivery."

This comes in the same week that University of Leeds research revealed that alcohol consumption during pregnancy has been linked to a higher risk of premature birth.