Efficacy of Diet Reducing Incidence in Pregnant Women

Background: Hypertensive disorders affect up to 10% of pregnancies in the United States. An area of concern is management of pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders, leading to adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Limited guidance is provided on managing hypertensive disorders from AHA and ACOG. Objectives: This integrative literature review aims to analyze two interventions, exercise and diet modification, to evaluate the efficacy in reduction of diagnosis of pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders in pregnant women with gestational diabetes. Methods: A literature search through health science databases (CINAHL, PubMED, ProQuest, and Cochrane Library) was conducted, incorporating search terms and inclusion/exclusion criteria. Results: Seven articles were included in the final analysis: 3 articles from CINAHL, 2 articles from PubMed, and 2 articles from Cochrane Library. One article that addressed exercise as the primary intervention suggested a 25% reduction in gestation hypertension disorders, whereas three articles that addressed diet modification as the primary intervention suggested reduced cases of pregnancy-induced hypertension disorders. When paired, each intervention was less efficacious. Limitations: A small sample size of articles limits the results of this study as well as limited quantity of exercise-only intervention articles. Conclusion: Diet appears to be a more sustainable, patient-friendly intervention that effectively reduces gestation hypertension cases in pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Further investigation should include the efficacy of the different types of diets. With this, a proper diet recommendation can be prescribed to patients to ensure a healthy pregnancy