怀孕前饮食差可能引起早产

　　怀孕前饮食差可能引起早产
WASHINGTON, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Women who eat too much fat and sugar foods and takeaway before they become pregnant are more likely to have a preterm birth, a new study said Friday.
The study, published in the U.S. Journal of Nutrition, found that the risk of having a preterm birth for those who consistently eat a poor diet is 1.5 times that of those on a healthy diet.
"Preterm birth is a leading cause of infant disease and death and occurs in approximately one in 10 pregnancies¹ globally," lead author of Jessica Grieger of University of Adelaide's Robinson Research Institute said in a statement.
Poor diet before pregnancy² may cause preterm birth: <a href=http://www.hxen.com target=_blank class=infotextkey>study</a>
"Anything we can do to better understand the conditions that lead to preterm birth will be important in helping³ to improve survival and long-term health outcomes for children," Grieger said.
In the new study, Grieger and colleagues investigated the dietary patterns of more than 300 South Australian women in a bid to better understand their eating habits before pregnancy.
They found that women who ate protein-rich foods including lean meats, fish and chicken, as well as fruit, whole grains and vegetables, had significantly lower risk of preterm birth.
"On the other hand, women who consumed mainly discretionary foods, such as takeaway, potato chips, cakes, biscuits, and other foods high in saturated⁴ fat and sugar were more likely to have babies born preterm," Grieger said.
She advised women to consume a healthy diet before as well as during pregnancy. "Diet is an important risk factor that can be modified. It is never too late to make a positive change," Grieger said. "This will help to reduce the number of neonatal deaths and improve the overall health of children."（本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑）

1 pregnancies   

怀孕，妊娠( pregnancy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Since the wartime population needed replenishment, pregnancies were a good sign. 最后一桩倒不失为好现象，战时人口正该补充。
• She's had three pregnancies in four years. 她在四年中怀孕叁次。

2 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

3 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

4 saturated   

a.饱和的，充满的

参考例句：

• The continuous rain had saturated the soil. 连绵不断的雨把土地淋了个透。
• a saturated solution of sodium chloride 氯化钠饱和溶液