Avoid Flaxseed Oil When Pregnant

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Better Stick WIth the Whole Seed...

Pregnancy is...

Well, it's probably best to leave the discussion of the delights and downfalls of pregnancy to those who have more than an observational point of view. But, regardless of anyone's direct participation in the process, it's in everyone's interest that things go well. It's good for the moms and dads - it's good for all of us.

So, mothers-to-be, pay heed. A new study reveals that sometimes natural is not necessarily better. Researchers at the Université de Montréal analyzed the data of over 3,000 pregnant women. Their purpose was to determine whether the natural products they used during pregnancy were safe. "We believe these products to be safe because they are natural. But in reality, they are chemical products and we don't know many of the risks and benefits of these products contrarily to medication," says Professor Anick Bérard, who conducted the study.

The culprit was flaxseed oil.

The study found a disturbing correlation between flaxseed oil and premature births. Those women who took flaxseed oil during their last two trimesters were four times more likely to experience a premature birth. Four times!

In Canada, about 10 percent of pregnant women take natural health products, including chamomile, green tea, and peppered mint. None of these caused a problem. Only the flaxseed oil. Oddly, the whole flaxseed caused no problem for pregnant women either.

Yes, it is a bit of a mystery. Why the whole flaxseed causes no problem, but the flaxseed oil does will certainly require more study. But, while the experts are sorting out all the details, do yourself - and all those non-pregnant types who are counting on you - a favor: pour the flaxseed oil down the drain.

To read more about the study, see this from ScienceDaily. To learn more about flaxseed oil, see this from the University of Maryland Medical Center.