Pomegranate juice to check fetal brain injury

Mothers at risk of having a pre-term baby may perhaps will like to have pomegranate juice if they come to know that pomegranate juice can prevent brain injury the fetus may be at risk from low oxygen and reduced blood flow in case of a pre-term delivery.

Pomegranate juice contains polyphenols in high concentrations that have been linked with potential property of neuroprotection and anti-aging effects.

Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis who had drawn parallels from a mouse study, says that pomegranate juice can prevent the condition of hypoxia ischemia in babies if their mothers have the juice when they are carrying them. Hypoxia ischemia is the condition of decreased blood flow and oxygen to the fetal brain that can cause complications during pregnancy, and brain injuries to babies born pre-term or before completing 34 weeks gestation. Hypoxia ischemia brain injury can have far reaching consequences like seizures or a condition called hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, or even cerebral palsy.

The condition of hypoxia ischemia is a difficult condition that till date has not much treatment possibilities. Preventive measures to avoid this condition can go a long way in reducing the number of instances of congenital birth defects in children.

Reference: Pediatric Research, June 2005