Pre-Eclampsia May Be Affected By Dietary Choices

A recent study found the presence of ergothione in the blood of women with pre-eclampsia to be higher than healthy pregnant women. Ergothione is an antioxidant found in fungi. The fungi can be ingested when pregnant women consume unpasteurized dairy products.

Pre-eclampsia affects 10% of the pregnant population. The condition, which has no known cause, can result in dangerously high blood pressure and fetal death. The only cure for pre-eclampsia is devliery of the baby. Scientists hope the detection of ergothione levels will lead to early detection of pre-eclampsia and a possible cause for the condition.

While doctors are not telling pregnant women to stop eating unpasteurized dairy products, they understand that further study is needed into why ergothione levels are higher in women with pre-eclampsia. "Ergothioneine is known as an antioxidant and antioxidants have been proposed to be helpful in reducing the risk of preeclampsia. It is therefore very interesting that we have found it to be in excess for women with the condition," says Dr Fisher.

The research team used an MRI like scan of blood cells to determine the presence of chemicals in the blood. Chemical markers for pre-eclampsia have also been found in blood plasma in previous studies.

Source: Reproductive Sciences 2009