Diabetes, High BP May Increase Heart Risk for Pregnant Women: 5 Nutrients They Need

Pregnancy is sensitive phase of life during which a woman does not only need to take adequate care of herself but also make sure that her child gets good nutrition and his or her development is healthy. Woman of reproductive age need to take extra care to make sure that they are fit and healthy to conceive. A new study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, shows that women who develop both gestational diabetes and high blood pressure during pregnancy could be at a higher risk of suffering from these cardiometabolic diseases during the following years that also raises the risk heart disease.

Some amount of fluctuation in your blood glucose levels after your meals is common during pregnancy but as your baby grows, your placenta may produce some insulin-counteracting hormones that can trigger gestational diabetes which can harm the health of your child. Similarly, gestational hypertension is also common during pregnancy. Women may develop high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy. 

The study notes that having been diagnosed with both the risks of diabetes and high blood pressure, at the same time, made a mother six times more likely to develop heart disease in the near future. For the study, researchers looked at a sample of 40,000 women, in three cohorts: those who developed neither blood pressure nor diabetes during pregnancy; those who developed one or the other; and those who were diagnosed with both. 

The results found that even the fathers of the new born babies were also relatively affected by the chances of heart diseases and hypertension risks in their later lives. It is important to note that most of the nutrients that a pregnant woman derives are from the food she eats and your daily nutrition can impact your health in several ways. Here are some key nutrients every pregnant woman needs.

1. Protein: Protein is essential for the healthy growth of the foetus and to maintain the mother’s health. Inadequate protein intake can lead to severe malnourishment. 

2. Folic acid: Folic Acid is very essential for preventing neural tube defect, serious abnormalities of the spinal cord and brain. 

3. Iron: During pregnancy the body needs to increase the blood volume to meet the demands of the growing foetus, hence more iron in the diet is essential. 

4. Calcium: Calcium is needed to build healthy bones and teeth of the baby and for the production of calcium rich breast milk and prevention of osteoporosis in the mother

Inputs from IANS