Inflammation and Pregnancy Complications
Miscarriage, Infertility and Pre-eclampsia Linked to Inflammation
Dec 23, 2008
Reproduction and fertility in both males and females is based on orchestration of inflammation. High levels of chronic inflammation increase infertility, miscarriage and pre-eclampsia. Suppression of inflammation with anti-oxidants, omega-3 oils, aspirin and heparin, improve fertility and decrease complications of pregnancy.
Semen Quality and Exposure Determines Pregnancy Complications
Sperm and semen quality have an obvious impact on male fertility, but exposure to seminal fluid before and after conception also impacts the course of a subsequent pregnancy. Studies show that women who have unprotected sex with a man before and after pregnancy have fewer miscarriages. It appears that women who absorb seminal nutrients are more fertile and support pregnancies more readily. Since semen is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and anti-inflammatory prostaglandins, implantation and gestation require suppression of uterine inflammation, and labor is promoted by inflammation, research is being conducted to determine the relationship between inflammation and complications of pregnancy.
Recent Study Links Miscarriage and Infertility to Pre-Eclampsia
The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) involved 20,846 first time mothers who self-reported on miscarriage, infertility and complications of pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia was determined from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Women who had experienced either miscarriage or infertility had an increased risk of subsequent pre-eclampsia. Those with both prior miscarriage and infertility had more than double the risk of subsequent pre-eclampsia.
Pre-eclampsia Is a Symptom of Inflammation
Pre-eclampsia is a potentially dangerous increase in blood pressure and loss of protein into the urine, proteinuria. Further increase in these symptoms without prompt treatment, could result in eclampsia, seizure. Since pre-eclampsia normally develops during the third trimester, the usual treatment is induction of birth. There is increasing evidence that pre-eclampsia is brought on by increasing oxidative stress, depletion of natural anti-oxidants and depletion of omega-3 fatty acids. It appears that pre-eclampsia can be treated as an omega-3 fatty acid deficiency and inflammation.
Comparison of Normal and Pre-eclamptic Women Reveals Inflammation
In a recent Indian study, blood from normal and pre-eclamptic women was analyzed for symptoms of oxidative stress. Both maternal and umbilical cord samples were analyzed. Blood from pre-eclamptic women showed lower omega-3 fatty acids, higher omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratios, higher oxidative stress and depleted natural antioxidants.
Exercise, Anti-inflammatory Diet Protect Against Pre-eclampsia
The association between anti-oxidant and omega-3 fatty acid depletion, and pre-eclampsia suggest some obvious approaches to avoid this complication and threat to pregnancy. Clearly the typical approaches for reducing miscarriage, avoidance of exercise and sexual intimacy, may aggravate the situation, because both are anti-inflammatory. Inflammation associated with obesity also explains the increased incidence of pregnancy complications with excess body fat. There are also several studies using fish oil or canned anchovies to minimize eclampsia where access to seafood/fish oil is limited. An enhanced anti-inflammatory diet augmented with appropriate exercise would seem an obvious preparation for and support for pregnancy. Care must of course be taken during the first trimester to avoid plant materials that may contain natural compounds that are toxic to a fragile fetus. A healthy body is the first step toward a healthy baby.
references:
Einarsson JI, Sangi-Haghpeykar H, Gardner MO. 2003. Sperm exposure and development of preeclampsia. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 188(5):1241-3.
Trogstad L, Magnus P, Moffett A, Stoltenberg C. 2009. The effect of recurrent miscarriage and infertility on the risk of pre-eclampsia. BJOG. 116(1):108-13.
Mehendale S, Kilari A, Dangat K, Taralekar V, Mahadik S, Joshi S. 2008. Fatty acids, antioxidants, and oxidative stress in pre-eclampsia. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 100(3):234-8.
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