Fruit & veg get thumbs up for pregnancy
A new study from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine shows that the daily consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables can reduce the risk of miscarriage. Researchers questioned 603 women who had experienced a miscarriage in the first trimester, and 6,116 women whose pregnancies progressed beyond 12 weeks. They identified several factors linked to an increased risk of miscarriage including high maternal age, previous miscarriage, low body mass index (BMI), high alcohol consumption and stress. Factors linked to a lower risk included previous live birth, nausea, vitamin supplementation and fresh fruit and vegetables eaten daily.
Maconochie et al., 2007. Risk factors for first trimester miscarriage—results from a UK-population-based case-control study. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 114 (2) 170-186.
About the author
Dr. Justine Butler
Justine joined Viva! in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. After working as a campaigner, then researcher and writer, she is now Viva!’s head of research and her work focuses on animals, the environment and health. Justine’s scientific training helps her research and write both in-depth scientific reports, such as White Lies and the Meat Report, as well as easy-to-read factsheets and myth-busting articles for consumer magazines and updates on the latest research. Justine also recently wrote the Vegan for the Planet guide for Viva!’s Vegan Now campaign.
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