Vegan Women Found To Have Higher Risk of Developing Complications During Pregnancy, Study Reveals

A study has discovered that women who are vegan have a higher risk of getting preeclampsia, which can be life-threatening, and having babies that are underweight.

Low Birth Rate

The study "Adherence to different forms of plant-based diets and pregnancy outcomes in the Danish National Birth Cohort: A prospective observational study" was able to find that babies who were born to mothers who were vegan appeared to be half a pound lighter compared to the average weight of babies.

The scientists examined 66,738 Danish pregnancy data from 1996 to 2002. Among the pregnancies, 65,872 women were described as omnivores; 666 of them were poultry or fish vegetarians; 182 women were vegetarians, and 18 of them were vegans.

According to a questionnaire that was filled up during the middle of the pregnancy, the scientists were able to discover that protein intake was reduced among vegans and vegetarians, with rates of 10.4% and 13.3% respectively. This was compared to omnivorous participants who had a rate of 15.4%.

The researchers noted that low protein intake could be linked to reduced baby birth weight. They also wrote in the study that micronutrient intakes were quite lower among vegans. However, when dietary supplements were considered, there were no significant differences.

The scientists also found that mothers who ate poultry and fish gave birth to babies who were 0.03 pounds lighter compared to omnivores. This was on average.

The largest babies were observed among vegetarian mothers. The babies born to these mothers were 0.07 pounds heavier compared to omnivores.

Scientists also found that vegan women had longer pregnancies that extended for 5.2 days.

Deeper Look Into Veganism

This study was undertaken due to the fact that the number of people following a plant-based diet has dramatically increased in recent years. In fact, in Denmark, the number of people in the general population who have been adhering to veganism has gone up from being hardly measurable in 2010 to roughly 3% in 2022.

Across the US, it is thought that around 5% of individuals are vegetarian, while 4% adhere to a vegan diet. Physicians advise pregnant women to take around 70 grams of protein each day.

They also recommend that pregnant women who are vegetarian or vegan should take in sufficient vitamin B12 and iron, as well as iodine, calcium, and vitamin D.

Preeclampsia

Roughly 5% to 8% of births in the US are affected by preeclampsia and other pregnancy-related disorders. Preeclampsia is a medical condition that can take place in the middle of pregnancy, after the 20-week mark.

People with the condition have protein found in their urine, high blood pressure, headaches, swelling, and blurry vision. The condition can affect other body organs and pose danger to the mother and the fetus developing inside her. Due to the risks posed by the condition, preeclampsia requires medical attention.

Preeclampsia is more common among mothers who are first-time parents. The exact reason behind this remains unclear for healthcare providers. However, there are some factors that can increase risk, such as the expectation of multiple children, a history of diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases, preeclampsia family history, and obesity.

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