A preconception and early-pregnancy diet that is abundant in fruit, vegetables, seafood, dairy, eggs and grain may be associated with reducing risk of miscarriage, a new review of research suggests.

Tommy’s scientists analysed 20 studies which explored women and birthing people’s eating habits in the months before and shortly after conceiving a baby to see whether these studies showed evidence of association with a lower or higher chance of miscarriage.
Writing in the journal ‘Fertility and Sterility’ the Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research team conclude that there is evidence to suggest a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, seafood, dairy products, eggs and grain reduces miscarriage risk.
These are foods which typically make up ‘healthy’ well-balanced diets, with previous evidence showing that eating a well-rounded diet which is rich in vitamins and minerals during pregnancy is important.
The research review found that, when compared to low consumption, high intake of fruit may be associated with a 61% reduction in miscarriage risk. High vegetable intake may be associated with a 41% reduction in miscarriage risk. For dairy products it is a 37% reduction, 33% for grains, 19% for seafood and eggs.
Led by Dr Yealin Chung, researchers also looked at whether pre-defined dietary types, such as the Mediterranean Diet or Fertility Diet could also be linked to miscarriage risk. They could not find evidence that following any of these diets lowered or raised risk.
However, a whole diet containing healthy foods overall, or foods rich in antioxidant sources, and low in pro-inflammatory foods or unhealthy food groups may be associated with a reduction in miscarriage risk for women.
A diet high in processed food was shown to be associated with doubling of miscarriage risk.
The studies included in the analysis focused on the peri-conception period – a period before and during the first 3 months of pregnancy. Data collected from a total of 63,838 healthy women of reproductive age was included, with information on their diets typically collected through food frequency questionnaires for each study.
Dr Chung explains:
“Miscarriage is common, with estimates suggesting 1 in 6 pregnancies end in miscarriage, and there are many known causes, from problems with the baby’s chromosomes to infections in the womb.
“Yet nearly 50% of early pregnancy losses remain unexplained and in the absence of a cause, parents often turn to their healthcare providers for guidance on the best ways to be as healthy as possible and reduce the risk of future miscarriages.
“There’s a growing body of evidence to show that lifestyle changes – including changes to diet, stopping smoking and not drinking alcohol – before conceiving and in your pregnancy’s early stages – may have an impact.
“We strongly encourage couples to consider the importance of making positive lifestyle choices when planning for a family, and to continue with these healthy choices throughout their pregnancy and beyond. By knowing that positive lifestyle choices can make a significant difference in reducing the risk of miscarriage, couples can feel empowered to take charge of their health and the health of their baby.”
Xx awaiting sign-off xx Tommy’s Midwife Amina Hatia says:
“Advice on diet is one of the most-discussed subjects for us when talking with pregnant women and birthing people. We know that baby loss is very rarely the result of someone’s lifestyle choices, but many people want to know how to be as healthy as possible in pregnancy. Following a healthy diet, taking supplements like Vitamin D and folic acid, exercise and trying to lower stress are all things people can try to do, but there’s been a lack of clear evidence on the links between diet choices and miscarriage.
“Given this lack of evidence, there aren’t any evidence-based guidelines outlining dietary advice for women and birthing people or their partners – something the findings of this review suggest could make a real impact in helping people reduce their risk.”
More studies are needed, the Tommy’s team conclude, particularly research which looks at whether a food group or diet and its link to miscarriage risk is causal, and research which could accurately estimate how effective a change in diet could be in the critical stages of conception and pregnancy.
– Ends –
The association between dietary patterns and risk of miscarriage: a systematic review and meta-analysis by Yealin Chung, Pedro Melo, Oonagh Pickering, Rima Dhillon-Smith, Arri Coomarasamy and Adam Devall from the Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research, University of Birmingham was published in the journal xx on xx date xx: DOI XX
An embargoed copy of this report is available via xxx Dropbox link xx
For further information or interview requests please contact Sarah Elizabeth Cox, Media/PR Lead, Tommy’s on scox@tommys.org

Further notes on food groups studied in this review
Fruit and vegetables: high levels of essential nutrients and powerful anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory effects. Evidence to show reduced risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
Meat: important source of protein, rich in vitamin B, phosphorus and iron. Different amounts of saturated fat, salt and nitrates in different meats which may be added through processing. Evidence to show higher intake of red or processed meat is associated with risk of gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy
Seafood: high quality protein, essential nutrients such as niacin, vitamin B, vitamin D, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids. May be high in mercury, organic pollutants, polychlorinated biphenyls. Effects of seafood consumption may be dose and type-dependent.
Dairy: good sources of protein, high nutrient density and bioavailability. Rich in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin B12 and others. Increasing maternal dairy intake is associated with babies’ growth during pregnancy and after birth.
Eggs: affordable source of protein and nutrient-dense providing omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, B, D and selenium. Also rich in cholesterol but moderate consumption is safe and for some, may have protective effect against cardiovascular disease risk.
Grain (Cereal): Excellent source of carbohydrates, cholesterol-free, low in saturated fat, often high in fiber. Important nutrient source but beneficial effect of grain may be diluted through processing. Whole grain intake is associated with reduced coronary heart, diabetes, cardiovascular and cancer risk. Conflicting evidence with refined grain consumption with some studies suggesting increased gestational diabetes risk.
Sugar substitutes: Often mis-perceived to be healthier than refined sugar but emerging evidence suggests harmful effects in pregnancy with higher intake linked to risk of preterm birth, reduction in gestational age at birth and increased birth weight.