Pregnant women who regularly snacks on chocolate bars, foods that contain chocolate or even take hot chocolate drinks are less prone to develop pre-eclampsia or giving birth prematurely than those who avoid chocolate totally, shown the latest study. Pregnant women who eat chocolate at least three times a week could halve their risk of a potentially lethal condition.
The cause of pre-eclampsia always remains anonymity but due to some reason blood vessels in the placenta do not develop correctly. It can raise the blood pressure of pregnant woman and decrease the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. This causes premature birth of the infants and smaller than a normal infants.
The treatment may involve prolonged bed rest and medication to lower the blood pressure of pregnant woman. It is calculated to reduce stress on the baby and give it a chance to prosper. This procedure does not cure the condition but simply provide the fetus chance to grow strong enough to subsist birth that frequently engage caesarean birth.
In study survey done at Yale University in the US, researchers interviewed more than 2500 pregnant women about their dietary habit during pregnancy. Every woman was asked about the type of foods they eaten, counting how many times a week they had enjoyed chocolate-based snacks or drinks.
The results of the survey showed that women who consumed greater amount of chocolate did not get pre-eclampsia. Almost half of the women did not develop high blood pressure which is the major symptom of the condition, who regularly eaten chocolate throughout their pregnancy. Among those that did not develop problem, only thirty-six percent admitted regular chocolate treats.
The pregnant women who reported regular consumption of chocolate for more than a week had fifty percent or more reduced the risk of pre-eclampsia, said researchers in a report of their findings. They further said that regular intake of chocolate during the first or third trimester was evenly protective.