Pomegranate Juice May Prevent Pregnancy Complications

Pomegranate juice may prevent pregnancy complications. It contains antioxidants that may prevent injury in human placental tissue. In a study published in the American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism, researchers from Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine reported that pomegranate juice which is high in polyphenolic antioxidants reduced oxidative stress in human placenta and limited cell death of fetal cells in culture.

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free oxygen radicals and antioxidants. In complicated pregnancies, elevated oxidative stress can cause placental dysfunction leading to preeclampsia, growth restricted babies and preterm birth.

Giving pomegranate juice to women with high risk pregnancies late in their first trimester or early in their second trimester may help women have healthier babies. Whether pomegranate juice is helpful in women having difficulty becoming successfully pregnant remains to be determined but lessening oxidative stress could be a good thing for all.