According to new research, pregnant women at high risk for developing gestational diabetes who adopt a Mediterranean diet decrease their risk of developing the condition by 35%. Furthermore, women following this diet also gained less weight. The study compared pregnant women following the Mediterranean diet to those who didn’t change their eating habits.
The Mediterranean diet calls for a high intake of nuts, extra virgin olive oil, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish, and the elimination of sugary drinks, fast food, and food rich in animal fat. These foods have been shown to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular complications in non-pregnant population, but have not previously been studied in pregnant women on such a large scale.
“This is the largest study in pregnancy to show that Mediterranean diet minimizes the risk of gestational diabetes and weight gain,” said Shakila Thangaratinam, senior author of the study and a researcher at Queen Mary University of London.
Gestational diabetes is a version of diabetes that initially appears during pregnancy when a mother’s body is not able to effectively use insulin to move glucose from the blood into the cells, causing an excess of glucose in the blood. Risks that accompany the condition include cephalopelvic disproportion, very low blood glucose levels in the baby after birth, and fetal macrosomia. Fetal macrosomia, a medical term used to describe a large baby, can lead to further complications such as shoulder dystocia, instrumental delivery by forceps or vacuum, birth by caesarian section, and other issues. Babies that are too large to be born vaginally may experience complications if a trial of labor is attempted, including a loss of fetal oxygenation and subsequent hypoxic-ischemic injury.
If you developed gestational diabetes during your pregnancy and you or your baby were injured during the labor and delivery process, please contact our skilled and caring birth injury lawyers at 877-262-9767.
The following reviews from our clients do not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of another legal matter. The cases mentioned in the reviews are illustrative of some of the matters previously handled by Grant & Eisenhofer involving various areas of birth injury law. These reviews are endorsements.
The following reviews from our clients do not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of another legal matter. The cases mentioned in the reviews are illustrative of some of the matters previously handled by Grant & Eisenhofer involving various areas of birth injury law. These reviews are endorsements.