During your pregnancy women are at risk of developing preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is associated with hypertension (blood pressure over 140/90), swelling due to fluid retention (not just the ankles) and protein in the urine.

Preeclampsia happens in approximately 7% of all pregnancies. But because it can cause morbidity and mortality in both the mother and child all women are monitored closely for problems associated with preeclampsia.

Some theorize that you can prevent preeclampsia by high protein diets. But before learning how to prevent lets learn who is at risk. Some of the factors that place women at a higher risk of developing preeclampsia are first time mothers who are either very young or older (below 20 and over 37).

Women who have a family history of preeclampsia also are at higher risk. Women who come from poor or under-privileged sector, multiple pregnancy, hereditary issues or women who have medical disorders like hypertension, kidney disease and diabetes.

Women who are beginning to have problems with preeclampsia exhibit some specific signs such as swelling over the ankles, feet and hands. Women complain of headaches, sleep disturbances, stomach pains, reduced amount of urine and blurred vision.

Some believe that you can prevent preeclampsia by high protein diet while others believe there are other things that you can do to prevent preeclampsia. Others believe there is no real prevention. Current thinking is that the following things can be done to help prevent preeclampsia:

• Regular check ups to detect abnormal weight gain, rising blood pressure
• Patients are advised to get good rest on her left side an extra 2 hours each day.
• Restrict salt intake
• And with the advise of the doctor you might use low dose aspirin

There has been a recent study done in the United Kingdom that found that protein rich foods late in pregnancy can stress the baby. Researchers have evaluated the offspring who are in their late 30s and found that when the children were under stress they secreted higher levels of cortisol. And separate research shows that people with higher levels of cortisol are at greater risk of high blood pressure and diabetes later in life.

Research that studies how to prevent preeclampsia by high protein diets havent been well studied. Research about treatment of preeclampsia with a high protein diet is even less conclusive. There are some who believe that large amounts of eggs taken daily once preeclampsia has diagnosed will treat the condition. There are no controlled studies that prove this theory.

And while case studies or anecdotal evidence (stories of the use of treatment in some) are fun to read they arent enough evidence to use the process in women. There has been some research that has isolated a protein in the blood of women with pre-eclampsia and is essentially a marker for the disorder but doesn’t address prevention or treatment.

At this time there is no evidence that you can prevent preeclampsia by high protein diet and in fact, to the contrary, there is evidence that the children of women who eat high protein diets are at higher risk of high blood pressure and diabetes later in life because of the higher level of cortisol they secrete when they are under stress.

During both the conception process and throughout pregnancy it is important that hopeful moms maintain their physical well-being and as well as their psychological health.

This broad field of women’s health includes psychological issues surrounding mood, stress and relaxation, as well as physical areas such as infertility, nutrition, morning sickness, labor and delivery and more.

At Native Remedies you will find a comprehensive set of herbal remedies to help you manage conception and pregnancy – naturally and safely.