'Pregnant vegans warned of deadly complications' media cites study on preeclampsia; is there cause for concern?

The study also does not report on adverse outcomes for larger babies. Dr. Martinez Biarge says, “Why didn't they report on the percentage of large for gestational age babies, those with abnormally high weight? Every obstetrician and every paediatrician knows this is an important adverse outcome in pregnancy.”

This is an important result missing from the study, as research suggests that the percentage of babies with an abnormally large weight may be higher among omnivorous mothers and is associated with complications during labour, both in the short and long term. This could also explain the higher number of induced labours and caesarean sections in the omnivores in this study.

“In the end, we know that women with lower BMI at the start of pregnancy and low weight gain during pregnancy are at risk of having smaller foetuses, whatever their diet. The point is that vegan mothers have a higher frequency of lower BMI and lower weight gain, probably because of lower caloric intake. Identifying these women and increasing energy intake would solve the problem in almost all cases.”

It’s worth noting that other studies have found a lower birth weight in vegan babies, and vegan children tend to be a bit shorter. However, these results often fall within the normal range for birth weight, and no evidence has suggested this results in future health issues.

The current study does not address the longer-term health of these children.

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Key takeaways

The critical takeaway is that pregnant women should pay close attention to their diet to ensure they get all the necessary nutrients. This is also true for women who wish to pursue a plant-based diet during pregnancy.

“It can be more challenging to follow a vegan diet to ensure that it is nutritionally complete, as there can be risks of lower intakes of iron, iodine and vitamins B12 and D, which can affect the health of both the mother, along with the development of the baby,” says Dr Duane Mellor.

“When planning a pregnancy and during pregnancy, whatever your dietary patterns and preferences, it is key to eat a varied and balanced diet, including supplements as advised by government and health guidelines. If a diet is balanced and includes the necessary nutrients including protein, vitamins and minerals, the type of diet is not as important.”

A 2019 review supports this by concluding, “Vegetarians and vegans are at risk of nutritional deficiencies, but if the adequate intake of nutrients is upheld, pregnancy outcomes are similar to those reported in the omnivorous population. So updated evidence highlights that well-balanced vegetarian and vegan diets should be considered safe for the mother’s health and offspring during pregnancy and lactation.”

“The vegetarian-type pattern should be considered safe, and it is not associated with preterm birth, birth weight, or small for gestational age if the requirements are met.”

Headlines generally aim to grab the readers’ attention while only capturing the gist of an article. When reporting on this study, the tone adopted by certain headlines seems alarming; for example, the Daily Mail summed up the study as follows: "Pregnant women urged not to go vegan over risk of deadly complications." However, this does not align with the recommendations from experts.

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