A Healthy Lifestyle Can Lead to a Healthy Pregnancy (STUDY)

Summary: Women who make healthy choices during pregnancy have a better chance of having a healthy pregnancy, a new study says.

By Sharon Mazel | Posted: November 26, 2013

It seems simple enough: Choose a healthy lifestyle when you're expecting and you'll be rewarded with a healthy pregnancy. That's the finding from a new study published in the journal BMJ.

Researchers from London, England, looked at over 5,600 first-time moms-to-be in New Zealand, Australia, the UK, and Ireland and monitored their lifestyles before and during their pregnancies. They found that women who chose a healthy lifestyle before conceiving and during pregnancy — eating well, keeping their weight gain on target, making sure their blood pressure was on the lower side, and avoiding alcohol and drugs — decreased the chances of pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and premature birth.

While these findings sound obvious, this is the first time researchers have studied which factors can boost the chances for a healthy pregnancy as opposed to looking at factors that could increase the risk of pregnancy complications.

Some of their more specific findings:

-A healthy diet, one where mom-to-be eats three or more fruits a day, is linked to an increased chance of an uncomplicated pregnancy.

-A healthy body mass index (BMI) and decrease in blood pressure before and during pregnancy increases the chances for a healthy pregnancy.

-Expectant moms who have a paying job at 15 weeks gestation are less likely to experience pregnancy complications. (The researchers explain these findings by suggesting that women who are employed are less likely to abuse drugs and are more likely to have an income that allows them to eat more healthily.)



What does this means for you? Well, leading a healthy lifestyle both before and during pregnancy could increase the chances you'll have an uncomplicated pregnancy. So start by eating well, keeping your weight gain on target, making sure your blood pressure is controlled (through exercise and healthy eating), and avoiding drugs and alcohol.