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Observational Study
. 2021 May;41(5):1129-1133.
doi: 10.1038/s41372-020-00804-x. Epub 2020 Sep 1.

The impact of a vegan diet on pregnancy outcomes

Tomer Avnon  1   2 , Efrat Paz Dubinsky  3 , Inbar Lavie  4 , Tali Ben-Mayor Bashi  5 , Ronit Anbar  3   6 , Yariv Yogev  5   4
Affiliations
Observational Study

The impact of a vegan diet on pregnancy outcomes

Tomer Avnon et al. J Perinatol. 2021 May.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effect of a maternal vegan diet on pregnancy outcome.

Study design: This is a prospective observational study. Women with a singleton pregnancy who maintained the same diet prior to, and throughout current pregnancy were enrolled. Stratification was performed according to diet type: vegans, lacto-ovo-vegetarians, fish-eaters, and omnivores.

Results: Overall, 273 women were enrolled, of them, 112 omnivores, 37 fish-eaters, 64 lacto-ovo-vegetarians, and 60 vegans. The vegan diet was significantly associated with an increased risk of small-for-gestational-age newborns compared only to an omnivore diet (RR = 5.9, 95% CI, 1.2-21.8). The incidence of preterm birth was similar in all groups. Vegans had lower birthweight compared to lacto-ovo-vegetarians (3015 ± 420 g vs. 3285 ± 482 g, P = 0.004), and to omnivores (3328 ± 495 g, P < 0.001), but not to fish-eaters. Vegans also had a lower mean gestational weight gain compared only to omnivores (11.6 ± 4.2 kg vs. 14.3 ± 4.6 kg, P = 0.001).

Conclusion: The vegan diet is associated with an increased risk for small-for-gestational-age newborns and lower birthweight.

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