Dieting can hurt mom and unborn child

London -- Mothers who diet between pregnancies may have an increased risk of premature birth, stillbirth and high blood pressure, Irish researchers said.

The report, published in the British Medical Journal, said women should try to maintain a healthy and consistent weight before, during and after pregnancy, The London Independent said Friday.

Obstetric specialists at Trinity College and Coombe Women's Hospital said dieting can undermine the body's ability to maintain an adequate supply of nutrients to support fetal growth and well-being.

A Swedish study of more than 200,000 women found that increasing BMI -- a measure of body weight relative to height -- by just one or two units significantly increased rates of pre-eclampsia, diabetes and infants born with a high birth weight.

A second study, published last year in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, found that women whose BMI fell by five or more units between pregnancies had a higher risk of premature birth, the newspaper said.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International.