Research: Vitamin supplements and pre-eclampsia
30 March 2006
Vitamin C and E supplements do not lower the risk of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women with a high chance of developing the condition, according to the results of a randomised trial published online today by the Lancet.
The £1.3 million three-year study, funded by the Wellcome Trust, also found that vitamin C and E supplements might increase the rate of low birth weight babies.
In 1999, results of a small, randomised trial suggested that vitamin C and E could reduce the incidence of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women - see the Lancet 1999;354(9181):810-816.
In the latest trial, the same team from King's College London - led by Professors Lucilla Poston and Andrew Shennan - investigated the effect of the supplements in a larger group of women.
Over 2400 women at high risk of pre-eclampsia were recruited from 25 hospitals in the UK. Half were assigned 1000 mg of vitamin C and 400 IU (international units) of vitamin E daily from the second trimester of pregnancy until delivery, and the other half were assigned a placebo.
The team found that the incidence of pre-eclampsia was similar in both groups (15 per cent vs 16 per cent). The investigators also found that more low birth weight babies were born to women who took the supplements compared with those who took the placebo (28 per cent vs 24 per cent).
There was no evidence, however, that women taking normal pregnancy multivitamin preparations increased the risk of low birth weight babies or caused any harm.
See also
- Supplementary evidence: Can vitamins prevent pre-eclampsia? (Features: 15 August 2003)