The Hemp Connection:
pre-eclampsia

The relationship between nutrition and pre-eclampsia is getting stronger! Researchers have reported that using a multivitamin supplement containing folic acid in the second trimester of pregnancy helped to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia. Personally, since folic acid is also recommended to any woman who is trying to conceive, I'd recommend taking it all the time instead of trying to guess when is the right time.

I've worked with many women trying to conceive, who have trouble changing their food habits. Some, out of fear of those changes or frustration at the challenge, give up, let the reproductive endocrinologist be the primary person fixing the problem, and figure they'll worry about their diet later.

Bad idea.

What you eat when you're preparing to become pregnant, while you're pregnant, while you're nursing, and while you're getting back into shape after all of that, are all vitally important. There's no such logical strategy as putting nutrition on the back burner, letting the doctor fix the problem, and worrying about the food later. It all fits together…and it affects more than just you!

By the way, good sources of folic acid include: lentils (right now is great weather for soup!),boiled collard greens (great if you're a Southern belle), chickpeas (whoo hoo for hummous!), papaya (always great in a fruit salad), frozen peas (easy to keep in the freezer), asparagus (this is the season when it starts getting cheap), broccoli (easy to keep around), strawberries (not a hard thing to have to eat), oranges (a winter favorite).

Wen SW, Chen XK, Rodger M, White RR, Yang Q, Smith GN, Sigal RJ, Perkins SL, Walker MC. Folic Acid in Early Second Trimester May Reduce Risk of Preeclampsia Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2008;198:45.e1-45.e7.

I am very excited to announce the beginning of what will be an ongoing and productive partnership with professional lactation consultants. On April 28, 2009, I will be presenting at a meeting of lactation consultants at Kaiser Hospital in Oakland, California.

The presentation will include:
--a basic introduction to polycystic ovary syndrome
--the importance of nutrition for minimizing risks of pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, and premature delivery
--the importance of nutrition for minimizing risks of lactation problems, postpartum depression, and sleep issues in newborn babies.

Lactation consultants are a crucial link in the identification and management of PCOS, and I am thrilled to be able to meet with this group in California to begin networking and learning how we can support each other in our respective work.

I will be posting more information about this presentation on my website as it becomes available: www.afterthediet.com/inCYST.htm.

I am especially grateful to Pat Ross, who has orchestrated this meeting and laid the groundwork for it to happen. Here's to our two heads being a whole lot better than just one…Pat, thank you much, see you in April!

Women with PCOS tend to have higher risk pregancies. A risk that is pretty well acknowledged is gestational diabetes. However, the rate of pre-eclampsia is also higher in cysters. Did you know diet can help you reduce your risk?

Researchers analyzed the diets of women with pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension to see if any specific nutrients were correlated with these problems. The specific nutrients they looked at were: calcium, omega-3 and omega-6-6 fatty acids, trans fatty acids, magnesium, folate, and vitamins C, D, and E. There was a slight reduction in risk of pre-eclampsia in women with a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA and EPA, are two essential items you should include in your"Healthy Pre-pregnancy, Pregnancy, and Nursing Toolbox".

Boomsma CM, Eijkemans MJ, Hughes EG, Visser GH, Fauser BC, Macklon NS. A meta-analysis of pregnancy outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Hum Reprod Update. 2006 Nov-Dec;12(6):673-83.

Oken E, Ning Y, Rifas Shiman SL, Rich Edwards JW, Olsen SF, Gillman MW. Diet during pregnancy and risk of preeclampsia or gestational hypertension. Ann Epidemiol 2007 Sep;17(9):663-8.

I find it so interesting that we only seem to think exercise is good for losing weight and toning muscle. There are so many other benefits! Exercise helps to combat depression, it can clear your head when you've been sitting at your computer, it can help you better use anti-oxidants…and now, researchers believe it can help you have a healthier pregnancy.

Pre-eclampsia is a greater risk for women with PCOS. It is a condition characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine. It is the most common pregnancy complication, and it can affect both mother and baby. Doctors often deliver babies early when pre-eclampsia occurs. We're learning that, in order for the brain and nervous system to develop as much as it possibly can, it is important to keep the baby in utero as long as possible. So there would be great benefit to preventing pre-eclampsia whenever possible.

2241 pregnant women were interviewed at their 15th week of pregnancy. They were found to have a lower risk of pre-eclampsia if they participated in recreational activity in the year before becoming pregnant.

Wow! A simple choice with profound effects! A little bit of exercise can go such a long way. You'll feel better, sleep better, have a less troublesome pregnancy…and who knows, if you're feeling better, sleeping better, and participating in an activity you enjoy, there may be less temptation to eat out of emotional stress. Calories in and calories out may be more easily balanced, and you might actually lose weight, too. But the important thing is, if you practice good self care right now…today…someone else down the road…someone you've not even had the chance to meet yet…may have much to thank you for.

Rudra CB, Sorenson TK, Luthy DA, Williams MA. A Prospective Analysis of Recreational Physical Activity and Preeclampsia Risk. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2008; 40(9): 1581-1588.