A recent study conducted by the Universitat Rovira i Virgili’s Food, Nutrition, Development, and Mental Health research team has found that adhering to a diet that promotes heart health, such as the one recommended by the American Heart Association (AHA), can reduce the risk of pregnancy loss. The study focused on women undergoing infertility treatments and examined the effects of various healthy diets on their overall pregnancy outcomes.
The findings of the study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, suggest that following the AHA diet, which includes a high intake of fish, whole grains, omega-3 fatty acids, and folic acid, before pregnancy can decrease the likelihood of miscarriage by 13-15%. This is significant as infertility is a prevalent health issue worldwide, affecting approximately 12-15% of couples and on the rise. Lifestyle and environmental factors, such as air pollution and obesity, can influence infertility, and the impact of dietary patterns on reproductive outcomes is still largely unknown.
To investigate the relationship between healthy dietary patterns and infertility treatment outcomes, researchers from the URV’s research group collaborated with a team from Harvard University’s departments of Nutrition, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health. The study involved analyzing the diets of 612 women aged 18 to 45 who underwent intrauterine injection and in vitro fertilization treatments, totaling over 1,500 cycles.
The research team studied the adherence of the women to eight globally validated healthy dietary patterns and found that those who closely followed the AHA diet had a significantly lower risk of miscarriage compared to those who did not. The AHA diet, which permits a varied intake from all food groups, emphasizes the consumption of fish, whole grains, omega-3 fatty acids, and folic acid — all of which are essential for human reproduction. The findings highlight the importance of regularly incorporating these nutrients and foods into one’s diet when undergoing assisted reproduction cycles.
While other healthy dietary patterns also showed a similar trend in reducing miscarriage risk, the vegetarian diet stood out for its lack of foods like fish, meat, vitamin B12, and omega-3. However, no significant associations were found between the vegetarian diet and a reduced risk of miscarriage in the study.
This research contributes to our understanding of the impact of diet on reproductive outcomes during infertility treatments. By following a heart-healthy diet like the one recommended by the AHA, women can potentially lower their risk of experiencing pregnancy loss. These findings highlight the critical role of nutrition in reproductive health and emphasize the importance of adopting a well-rounded and nutrient-rich diet for improved pregnancy outcomes.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
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