Women who had higher intakes of calcium and zinc in the three months before conceiving a child were significantly less likely to have high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) during pregnancy, according to a new study. “pregnancy-induced hypertension”).
“Our results highlight the importance of dietary calcium and zinc intake before conception to reduce the risk of pregnancy-related hypertension,” says Liping Lu, author of the research and professor at Ball State University. “Preconception zinc and calcium intake can come from diet and supplements,” she adds.
“Women’s health in the period before conception is closely linked to the course of the pregnancy that follows,” also indicates the researcher.
Pregnancy hypertension: calcium and zinc intake reduces the risk
To reach these conclusions, his team conducted two separate studies using medical data from more than 7,700 pregnant women, all residing in the United States. The researchers analyzed the association between preconception intakes of each mineral and rates of pregnancy-induced hypertension, after accounting for all other factors that impact the condition.
Results showed that women in the highest quintile of preconception calcium intake were 24% less likely to have hypertension during pregnancy than those in the lowest quintile. For zinc, participants with the highest preconception intakes were 38% less likely to have hypertension during pregnancy than those with the lowest intakes.
Calcium and zinc are both known to play important roles in metabolic processes related to maintaining healthy blood vessels, providing a plausible biological explanation for the idea that these minerals could help prevent heart disease. pregnancy-induced arterial hypertension.
Pregnancy hypertension: what are the risks for the mother?
High blood pressure occurring during pregnancy is a source of complications. The latter sometimes even endanger the vital prognosis with the risk of pre-eclampsia, which can:
– develop into eclampsia;
– cause the occurrence of a retroplacental hematoma.
“Retroplacental hematoma forms at the level of the placenta’s attachment zone, on the internal wall of the uterus. It causes a more or less significant detachment of the placenta”, explains Health Insurance.
Pregnancy-induced hypertension can also have negative impacts on the newborn.
