If you are very underweight and become pregnant your chances of having a miscarriage are much higher during the first three months of pregnancy, compared to a woman of normal weight, say researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. They added that not only do fruit and vegetables reduce your risk of miscarriage, but also chocolate.
You can read about this new study in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
The team examined 6,600 pregnant women, 600 of whom had miscarried during the first three months. They found that very underweight women were 72% more likely to experience a miscarriage, when compared to women of normal weight. In this study, an underweight woman is one whose BMI (body mass index) is less than 18.5.
They also found that the consumption of vitamin supplements, especially folic acid, iron and multivitamins, appeared to lower the risk of miscarriage by about 50%.
The researchers found that those at a higher risk of miscarriage included single women, women who had had an abortion, and women who had received IVF (in-vitro fertilization).
The scientists also found that:
— Women who have planned their pregnancy generally run a lower risk of miscarriage
— The longer a woman took to conceive, the higher her chances were of having a miscarriage
— Experiencing morning sickness appears to indicate a lower risk of miscarriage
The study was led by Noreen Maconochie BA (Hons) MSc PhD, of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today