New research has provided especially relevant advice for women who are planning on becoming pregnant in the near future - eat your fruits and vegetables. The research, published in “BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology,” not only reinforces the importance of eating a healthy, balanced diet before and during pregnancy, but reveals that women who consume fresh fruits and vegetables for three months prior to conception are less likely to give birth to undernourished babies.
Women who ate at least three servings of green, leafy vegetables per day three months before their pregnancy were found to be 50% less likely to give birth to undernourished and low birth weight babies. Women who ate less than one serving of fruit per week three months before their pregnancy were found to be 50% more likely to give birth to undernourished and low birth weight babies.
Infants with undernourishment issues are, “more likely to be stillborn, to have complications in the newborn period and in later life,” said leader of the study, Professor Lesley McCowan.
Researchers believe that the nutrients fruits and vegetables offer may serve as protection for the mother and her developing fetus, though they acknowledge that women who consume high amounts of these foods are likely to lead healthier lifestyles overall. But this research still sheds light on the importance of including fresh fruits and vegetables, specifically, in your diet if you are planning on becoming pregnant.
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