Pregnant women who had higher intakes of calcium and zinc in the three months before conceiving were significantly less likely to suffer from hypertensive disorders during their pregnancy compared to those with lower intakes, according to research presented at NUTRITION 2024, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition.

The study, conducted by Liping Lu, MD, PhD, while a postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University, analyzed data from over 7,700 pregnant women across the U.S. who participated in the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-To-Be.

In the calcium study, after adjusting for potential confounding factors, women in the highest quintile of preconception calcium intake had 21% lower odds of developing hypertensive disorders during pregnancy compared to those in the lowest quintile (adjusted odds ratio 0.79, 95% CI 0.64-0.97, p-trend=0.03).

In the zinc study, women in the highest quartile of preconception zinc intake had 29% lower odds of hypertensive disorders compared to the lowest quartile (adjusted odds ratio 0.71, 95% CI 0.53-0.96, p-trend=0.27), after controlling for confounders.

"Our findings underscore the significance of preconception dietary intake of calcium and zinc in potentially reducing the risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy," said Dr. Lu, now an assistant professor at Ball State University. "Adequate nutrient or mineral stores in the body prior to conception can ensure optimal nutrient status for conception and support the early stages of fetal growth and development."

The research suggests that focusing on nutrition before pregnancy, not just during, may help reduce the risk of hypertensive disorders. The studies were funded by faculty start-up funds from Ball State University's Department of Nutrition and Health Science.