Back in May I reported the results of a study which found that taking folic acid before pregnancy and during early pregnancy was associated with a reduced risk of premature birth. A recent study (1) has found that women with high antioxidant levels in their blood seem less likely to give birth prematurely.
The study(1) was a case control study. It included over 5000 women. All the women involved in the study had an interview, examination and blood test at week 24-26 of their pregnancy. Some of the placentas from term and preterm births were also analysed. There were 207 preterm births in total. Women with high (above the average) blood plasma concentrations of carotene (both alpha and beta carotene), cryptoxanthin (a type of carotenoid), and lycopene seemed to have a reduced risk of preterm birth. (I have written about carotenoids a number of times).
Carotenoids such as alpha and beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin are a family of over 700 naturally occurring yellow, red, orange and dark green pigments found in vegetables and fruits. Good sources include carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, squash, peppers, cantaloupe melons, nectarines, papaya, mango and dark green vegetables such as spinach, kale, watercress and asparagus. Introducing a good mix of these fruits and vegetables on a regular basis in the diet will help keep carotenoid levels in the body high. Carotenoids act as antioxidants in the body. Antioxidants are important to prevent damage to the body cells by naturally occurring unstable oxygen molecules, known as free radicals. Antioxidants may help to ‘quench’ or mop-up the destructive free radical molecules and therefore protect against cell-damage.
This study found that women with higher blood levels of certain carotenoids were less likely to deliver their babies preterm. In the study, the one-half of mothers-to-be with the highest blood levels of certain carotenoids were 30 percent to 50 percent less likely to deliver prematurely than women with lower levels. The findings do not prove cause-and-effect. There may be other things about women with high carotenoid levels that explain the association with lower preterm-birth risk but the authors conclude that further studies are certainly warranted to investigate the apparent link found in this study.
If carotenoids, or other antioxidants, do help prevent premature delivery, the reasons are not yet entirely clear. The authors speculate that it could be related to protection from any ill effects of environmental toxins, like air pollution, or exposure to bacteria or other infectious agents.
Eating a healthy diet during pregnancy, and indeed at any time, is crucial. Ensuring that you achieve the minimum 5 portions of vegetables and fruits daily is a good idea. Aiming to eat plenty of these foods will mean that antioxidant levels in the body will naturally be high. In addition, many women may choose to take a multivitamin and mineral supplement specifically designed for use during pregnancy and this may also boost levels of important antioxidants in the body, as well as providing folic acid.
(1)Kramer MS et al. 2009. Antioxidant Vitamins, Long-Chain Fatty Acids, and Spontaneous Preterm Birth. Epidemiology. 20(5):707-713.
Written by Ani Kowal
Related posts:
- Taking folic acid before pregnancy is associated with a reduction in premature birth
- Dietary carotenoids linked to a reduced risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer
- Multivitamins may help to reduce the risk of having a low birth weight baby
- Recent evidence suggests women in the UK might need a little more vitamin A
- A group of researchers recommend vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy
