Here’s another reason to eat more fruits and vegetables. It lowers the risk of miscarriage. This information is according to a University of Birmingham study that also reveals that seafood, dairy, eggs, and grain can contribute to full-term pregnancy.

The Research

The Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research team analyzed 20 studies that explored women’s eating habits in the months before and shortly after conception to see which foods were linked to lower and higher chances of a miscarriage.

The results, which were published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, suggest that a diet that’s rich in vegetables, fruit, dairy, seafood, grain, and eggs reduces miscarriage risk.

It backs up evidence that foods that are high in vitamins and minerals are essential for a healthy pregnancy.

Which Foods are Best?

So which foods are best for reducing miscarriage risk? Here are some statistics to consider:

• A high intake of fruit reduces miscarriage risk by up to 61%
• A high intake of vegetables reduces miscarriage risk by up to 41%
• A high intake of dairy reduces miscarriage risk by up to 37%
• A high intake of grain reduces miscarriage risk by up to 33%
• A high intake of seafood and eggs reduces miscarriage risk by up to 19%

Researchers also looked at diets like the Mediterranean Diet and the Fertility Diet and could not find evidence that any of them increased or reduced miscarriage risk.

However, a healthy diet rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods and low in unhealthy foods may reduce miscarriage risk.

A highly processed food diet can double miscarriage risks.

The studies reviewed looked at the period before and during the first three months of pregnancy. It collected data on 63,838 healthy women of reproductive age with information on their diets gathered from food frequency questionnaires.

What the Experts are Saying

Yealin Chung, leader of the study, had this to say. “We strongly encourage couples to consider the importance of making positive lifestyle choices when planning for a family, and to continue with these healthy choices throughout their pregnancy and beyond. By knowing that positive lifestyle choices can make a significant difference in reducing the risk of miscarriage, couples can feel empowered to take charge of their health and the health of their baby.”  

Tommy’s midwife Juliette Ward also weighed in saying, “Advice on diet is one of the most-discussed subjects for us when talking with pregnant women and birthing people. We know that baby loss is very rarely the result of someone’s lifestyle choice, but many people want to know how to be as healthy as possible in pregnancy.

“Following a healthy diet, taking supplements like vitamin D and folic acid, exercise, and trying to lower stress are all things people can try to do, but there’s been a lack of clear evidence on the links between diet choices and miscarriage.”

The Tommy’s team acknowledges that more studies are needed in concluding whether diet and certain foods play a causal role in miscarriage. Research could also estimate how effective changes in diet can be in preventing miscarriage during conception and pregnancy. In the meantime, it never hurts to eat healthily.