Diet Soda Drinkers More Likely To Have Preemies

The more diet soda pregnant women drink, the more likely they would have a premature baby.
The team, based at the Staten's Serum Institute in Copenhagen, wanted to determine whether there was a direct link between diet soda and preterm births. They commissioned a study, asking 60,000 pregnant Danish women to report on their diet, including soda intake, at the midpoint of pregnancy.

Only 5 percent of all the reported births were premature. But among women who reported consuming one soda a day at week 25 of the survey, the rate of premature delivery increased by 38 percent. Also among the daily diet soda drinkers who drink 4 or more diet sodas, premature deliveries soared by 80 percent. Women's weight and blood pressure had nothing to do with premature delivery risks.

Low-calorie sweeteners can help pregnant women enjoy the taste of sweets without excess calories, leaving room for nutritious foods and beverages without excess weight gain -- something that has been shown to be harmful to both the mother and developing baby. So far, the Food and Drug Administration agrees. The research team acknowledges that other factors might explain its finding and suggests further research to confirm or invalidate that finding.

This is related to biology because this says how diet soda can effect a pregnant women and her baby. Women who drink diet soda very often are more likely to have a premature baby. So drinking diet soda hurts the baby and can have lasting effects to it when it is born premature.

This is important because premature babies are bad. These babies have a higher risk of mortality. They are also at risk of neurological problems, cardiovascular problems, etc. So it is important to warn women to consume fewer amounts of diet soda during pregnancy.

http://www.aolnews.com/surge-desk/article/study-suggests-link-between-excessive-diet-soda-drinking-premature-births/19566668