Vegan Diet During Pregnancy Tied to Lower Birth Weight

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 31, 2024 -- Women adhering to vegan diets during pregnancy have offspring with lower mean birth weight than omnivorous mothers, according to a study published online Jan. 24 in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica.

Signe Hedegaard, M.D., from the Juliane Marie Centre at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and colleagues examined associations of different forms of plant-based diets during pregnancy with birth outcomes and pregnancy complications. The analysis included 100,413 pregnancies to 91,381 women in Denmark from 1996 to 2002.

The researchers found that 1.0 percent identified as fish/poultry vegetarians, 0.3 percent as lacto/ovo-vegetarians, and 0.03 percent as vegans. Compared with omnivorous participants, protein intake was lower among lacto/ovo-vegetarians (13.3 percent) and vegans (10.4 percent). Vegans had lower intake of micronutrients, although when dietary supplements were taken into consideration, no major differences persisted. Vegan mothers had a higher prevalence of preeclampsia, and their offspring had on average −240-g lower birth weight.

"Women adhering to vegan diets during pregnancy had offspring with lower mean birth weight compared to omnivorous mothers," the authors write. "Further research is needed regarding possible causality between plant-based diets and pregnancy and birth outcomes to strengthen the basis for dietary recommendations."

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2024-02-01 08:15

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords