Sugary Soda Consumption During Pregnancy Can Lead to Preterm Birth

Drinking sweet sodas during pregnancy can shorten the gestational period and pave the way for premature birth, researchers say.

Babies born before 37 weeks of gestational age are termed as premature babies. A premature birth is not good for the baby's health and preterm babies are more likely to face many long-lasting problems like intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, breathing/respiratory problems, feeding/ digestive problems and vision /hearing loss. Preterm birth is the second-leading cause of death among children five and below in the world.

Dr. Linda Englund-A-gge and colleagues found pregnant women who consumed more than one sugar sweetened drink at 25 percent higher risk of giving birth before completing their gestational period.

Researchers examined more than 60,700 Norwegian women who were part of a study conducted during 1999 and 2008. The data included details about the participants' lifestyle, health and nutrition. Participants also provided the number of sweetened sodas they consumed during 15, 22 and 30 weeks of their pregnancy.

About 5.4 percent (3,281) of the births were found to be premature. An investigation proved a strong link between consumption of sweetened sodas and preterm birth.

Drinking at least one soda was found associated with 11 percent of having a preterm baby.The risk was found higher when overweighed women consumed more sugary drinks.

They also found the occurrence more common among women having a higher body mass index (BMI), smoking habit and eating more calories.

"We are all desperately searching for causes of preterm birth," Dr. Michael Katz from the New York-based March of Dimes foundation, a non-profit organization that works to improve babies' health told Reuters."This study does not indicate that (drinking soda) is a tremendously serious risk of any sort."

After reaching a conclusion, the investigators recommend pregnant women to avoid sweetened drinks and have more healthy drinks and food for having a trouble-free pregnancy.

"Water is an excellent thirst quencher," Katz who was not involved with study, told Reuters.

Findings of the study have been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.