Chocolate and risk of complications in pregnancy:
Researchers examined whether regular chocolate consumption during pregnancy is associated with reduced risks of pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension. A total of 2,508 women who had hospital delivery records available were included in this study. The researchers found that a higher chocolate intake in the first or third trimester was associated with a lower risk of pre-eclampsia and in the first three months of pregnancy with a lower risk of high blood pressure. Of those who developed pre-eclampsia, 37.5% did not consume chocolate regularly, compared to 19.3% of women who had normal blood pressure and 24.2% of those with high blood pressure. Women who reported regular chocolate consumption had a 45% reduced risk of pre-eclampsia during the first trimester (odd ratio [OR] 0.55) and a 46% reduction during the the third trimester (OR 0.56). (57)