ESTEEM

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Effect of simple, targeted diet in pregnant women with metabolic risk factors on pre-eclampsia

• IRAS ID

  156166

• Contact name

  Shakila Thangaratinam

• Contact email

  s.thangaratinam@qmul.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Queen Mary University London

• Research summary

  Obesity is a growing problem in East London and every other woman who enters pregnancy is obese or overweight. In addition to obesity, other metabolic risk factors such as raised lipids, high blood pressure and diabetes increase pregnancy related complications such as pre-eclampsia and long term problems such as heart diseases,stroke and death. Pre-eclampsia,presenting as hypertension and proteinuria is a leading cause of maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity.
  Interventions that reduce cardiovascular events by modifying risk factors also have the potential to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia. Our work funded by the NIHR in the UK showed that dietary interventions in obese pregnant women may reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia. We propose to show that pregnant women with metabolic risk factors derive the most benefit from a simple, targeted intervention based on Mediterranean dietary pattern to prevent pre-eclampsia.Women with the risk factors (1092 women) will be randomly allocated to dietary intervention or usual antenatal dietary advice and the risk of pre-eclampsia will be evaluated. The remaining eligible women who are consented for lipid tests will be followed up for outcome data only.
  Diet based interventions, especially those based on a Mediterranean dietary pattern has a potential to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia. In our study, pregnant mothers with risk factors will be randomly allocated to either a dietary invention or usual antenatal care and we will assess the risk of pre-eclampsia. We will tailor the intervention to suit the individual needs of the mother and provide nuts and olive oil to improve compliance. The study will be undertaken across the three maternity units at Barts Health NHS Trust, which delivers 17,000 women/year. The study is supported by the office of the Mayor of Tower Hamlets which will facilitate the involvement of grassroots workers to promote recruitment and uptake of the intervention.

• REC name

  East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  14/EE/1048

• Date of REC Opinion

  29 Jul 2014

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion