The importance of a mum’s pregnancy and pre-pregnancy diet has been reiterated in recent times, and now a new study has highlighted how vital a healthy approach is for our children.

 

According to research carried out in the US, women who eat healthily before and during pregnancy may cut the risk of their baby developing heart problems.

 

A team of experts examined the data of 19,000 women, quizzing them about their diet in the year leading up to their pregnancy. For the purposes of the study, a healthy diet was one with lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, fish and nuts.

 

The researchers divided their subjects into two groups: those with a healthy maternal diet, and those with an unhealthy maternal diet. They subsequently discovered that the babies of the mums with a healthier diet had a lower chance of developing congenital heart defects.

 

 

Women in the top 25% of diet quality still came out on top when the experts took into account whether or not they were smokers, as well as their folic acid consumption.

 

Health expert Victoria Taylor commented on the findings, which were published in the Archive of Diseases in Childhood Foetal & Neonatal Edition.

 

“A healthy diet before, during and after pregnancy can have benefits for both mother and child and, as seen here, the whole diet should be taken into consideration, rather than solely focusing on individual nutrients,” she said.

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