Mediterranean diet: Woman fertility and pregnancy

Abstract

The Mediterranean diet (MDiet) is the most studied dietary pattern worldwide. For more than almost 60 years numerous studies have surveyed its association with human health revealing its beneficial properties, like anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant features, on multiple diseases and disorders thanks to its bioactive components. Changes in our lifestyle and dietary habits have provoked an increase of overweight and obesity and, consequently, the development and worsening of its correlated outcomes derived from inflammation and oxidative stress. Particularly, many observational studies have shown that the adhesion to MDiet is associated with the improvement of female infertility decreasing the incidence of metabolic disorders such as polycystic ovary syndrome among other related dysfunctions. Moreover, adhering to MDiet during the peri-conceptional and gestational period meliorates the health of the mother and her offspring decreasing the risk of developing pregnancy-associated complications, like gestational diabetes mellitus or hypertension conditions such as preeclampsia. Most of these disorders are correlated with obesity, thus it is essential to promote, through prevention and counseling, a change in women’s dietary routines and lifestyle in order to reduce the incidence of infertility and pregnancy-related complications. The adhesion to MDiet seems to be the best choice to overcome this challenge.