Later, as he worked in family practice in the more affluent community of Fulton, Missouri, he rarely saw problems with toxemia. He did not see one case of convulsive toxemia in the mostly high-risk group of women who followed his diet throughout their pregnancies. Each women was counseled in nutrition at each prenatal visit and asked what she was eating. Mild toxemia was present in fewer than one percent of the women studied. Toxemia is preventable, says Dr. Brewer.
Prevention is the key to a healthy pregnancy, a good birth and a healthy baby.
Diet is the most important thing that you can take care of. In clinical practice, I would assume that everyone was undernourished, and then would I would set about educating them about the nutritional requirements for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. We need someone with the authority of a physician to speak with every pregnant woman. But, even today, not much time is spent educating doctors about nutrition in medical school. Malnutrition at the end of pregnancy is a much bigger threat, particularly during the last trimester.