Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication which usually appears after the 20th week and is characterized by high levels of protein in the urine and hypertension. Do you want to escape from it? We share with you today nutritional tips to prevent preeclampsia during pregnancy.
It is one of the conditions with the highest risk in pregnancy and can lead to serious, even fatal, complications for both the mother and the baby. That is why it is always important to follow the doctor's advice both before and during pregnancy. Tips among which take care of the diet will be of great importance. But how?
Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a syndrome that usually appears after the 20th week of gestation characterized by proteinuria and hypertension. In addition, of these that are the main ones, this syndrome presents other symptoms such as headache, photopsia, tinnitus, epigastralgia and edema at the level of the lower extremities.
The complications that this syndrome causes in pregnancy are very important. It can generate placental hypoperfusion and cause the pregnancy to be terminated early. Therefore, in order to prevent preeclampsia it is important to know its causes and risk factors.
Factors riesgo
The interaction of maternal, fetal and placental factors cause in some cases abnormalities in the placental vasculature that in turn set in motion the entire mechanism for this syndrome to appear. There are characteristics and conditions that are also related to an increased risk of preeclampsia. Many, as you will have time to observe, related to our lifestyle and our diet. Look at them!
- Preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy or family history.
- Multiple pregnancy.
- Chronic high blood pressure (hypertension).
- Type 1 or type 2 diabetes prior to pregnancy.
- Renal disease.
- Autoimmune disorders.
- Obesity
- Mother 35 years or older
- Complications in a previous pregnancy
- Period of more than 10 years since the last pregnancy
Prevention: nutritional advice
The difficulty in determining the origin of preeclampsia makes its treatment difficult. There is no specific treatment to control it, but there are tips that you can follow to have a healthier lifestyle and that seem to prevent this condition.
Follow one healthy diet and exercising moderately are among the tips to prevent preeclampsia during pregnancy. But you should not wait until you are pregnant to follow them, but adopt them from the moment you plan to get pregnant.
At a nutritional level, these are some of the most important tips to prevent preeclampsia:
- Distribute the diet in 5-6 intakes small volume daily every 2-3 hours to avoid stomach overload and digestive discomfort.
- Follow a diet rich in fiber. Fiber regulates blood lipid levels, which can become a risk factor for the development of the pathology if they are high.
- Control the calcium and magnesium levels. Optimal levels of calcium and magnesium are key when it comes to regulating blood pressure.
- Avoid fats and sugars added to avoid an exaggerated weight gain and therefore the risk of diabetes and hypertension.
- Limit salt intake, especially if you suffer from hypertension.
- Folic acid supplements. Folic acid lowers the level of homocysteine in the blood, which is one of the "toxins" that increases the risk of preeclampsia.
- Antioxidant-rich diet such as vitamin C and vitamin E. Vitamin E is found mainly in green leafy vegetables, grains and nuts, while vitamin C is abundant in citrus fruits and other fruits.
- Bet on blue fish It is rich in vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids, which play an essential role in protecting the endothelium that lines the inside of blood vessels.
Although many of the risk factors for preeclampsia cannot be controlled, there are others that we can work on. Maintaining a balanced diet and an adequate weight to prevent the development of possible high blood pressure and proteinuria are some of the most important. And you can start working on it now; You don't have to be already looking for a pregnancy for it.