Lifestyle Change May Prevent Miscarriage, Study Finds

Amy Taylor February 20, 2014

A study which involved 91,427 pregnant women in Denmark found that more than a quarter of first-time miscarriages could be prevented by making a combination of lifestyle changes.

Among the risk factors for miscarriage that were identified in the study were lifting 20kg (44lbs) each day during pregnancy, and being obese or underweight. Those who drank alcohol, worked on a night shift, and those who became pregnant beyond their early 30s were also more likely to miscarry.

According to the researchers from the University of Copenhagen, only by reducing all of the risk factors could miscarriage be prevented.

"The main message from the paper is that miscarriages are a subject for prevention." said Anne-Marie Nybo Andersen, senior researcher at the University of Copenhagen. She said the study was significant as it showed relative importance of different lifestyle factors in causing miscarriage, rather than more specific factors, such as certain pharmaceutical drugs.

As the findings were from the health perspective of a population, they could apply to lots of people - from individual couples to people in charge of maternity policies, work place regulations and supporting students who get pregnant, she said.

"Everybody, young men and women, as well as those who have political responsibilities should bear in mind that postponing pregnancy to the mid-30s implies a seriously increased risk of miscarriage." she added.

Findings were based on the data of more than 91, 000 women who were part of the Danish National Birth Cohort between 1996 and 2002. Researchers looked for links between the miscarriages and lifestyle by collecting data through computer-assisted telephone interviews.

Health advice for pregnant women

Caroline Overton, spokesperson at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: "This is a very interesting study in terms of the very large population size." In the UK, more than one in seven pregnancies ends in miscarriage.

According to Overton, the new findings confirmed much of the advice currently given out in the UK to promote healthy pregnancy, such as not drinking, but questioned how applicable the study would be to British women. "Twenty kilograms is the size of a large holiday suitcase. Most of us would only lift that very occasionally."

Furthermore, women planning to conceive should also eat a balanced diet, make sure they are not too skinny or overweight, quit smoking, and ask their partner to follow a healthy lifestyle as well, she added.

Source of this article:

Miscarriage risk ’reduced by lifestyle changes’