Higher DASH diet scores linked to lower diastolic BP in pregnancy
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Higher Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, diet scores were associated with lower diastolic BP in midpregnancy and lower fetoplacental vascular function in mid- and late pregnancy, researchers reported.
“We observed that a higher maternal DASH diet score was associated with a lower midpregnancy diastolic blood pressure but not with diastolic blood pressure in early- or late pregnancy or systolic blood pressure throughout pregnancy,” Clarissa J. Wiertsema, MD, from the department of pediatrics at the University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and colleagues wrote.
The population-based cohort study included 3,414 Dutch women (mean age, 31 years) to assess whether the DASH diet score was associated with BP, placental hemodynamics and gestational hypertensive disorders. Researchers used food frequency questionnaires to assess DASH score and measured BP in early (median, 12.9 weeks), mid- (median, 20.4 weeks) and late (median, 30.2 weeks) pregnancy and placental hemodynamics in mid- (median, 20.5 weeks) and late (median, 30.4 weeks) pregnancy.
Lower DASH scores were associated with a higher midpregnancy diastolic BP compared with high DASH scores (P < .05). Researchers observed no associations between DASH score and early and late pregnancy diastolic and systolic BP.
Lower DASH scores were associated with higher mid- and late pregnancy umbilical artery pulsatility index compared with higher DASH scores (P < .05) but were not associated with uterine artery resistance index.
There were no associations between DASH diet scores and gestational hypertensive disorders.
“Our findings suggest that the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet might have small positive effects on gestational hemodynamic adaptations in low-risk pregnant populations,” the researchers wrote. “These findings are important from an etiological perspective and on a population level. The beneficial effects may be more pronounced in pregnant populations with high a priori risk of developing gestational hypertensive disorders.”
According to the researchers, future studies should include larger populations with more placental insufficiencies and gestational hypertensive disorders and more up-to-date classification for disorders along with detailed assessments of maternal CV health before and during pregnancy. These enhancements may aid in assessing if adherence to the DASH diet has a different effect on gestational hemodynamic adaptations.
“Further studies are needed to assess whether maternal adherence to the DASH diet has more pronounced positive effects on gestational-hemodynamic adaptations and the risks of gestational hypertensive disorders in higher-risk populations,” the researchers wrote.
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