Research review: Could vitamin D and calcium supplementation reduce preeclampsia risk?
/RESEARCH REVIEW
Nutrient Supplementation Such As Vitamin D and Calcium Can Reduce The Chance of Developing Pre-eclampsia For Those Who Are High Risk
Study: Micronutrient Supplementation Interventions in Preconception and Pregnant Women at Increased Risk of Developing Pre-eclampsia: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
DOI: 10.1038/s41430-022-01232-0
Published: 9/11/2022
Summary: Pre-eclampsia is a dangerous pregnancy condition that is distinguished as high blood pressure after 20 weeks of gestation with other possible complications such as placental dysfunction. Pre-eclampsia is associated with a high risk of maternal death. This systematic review aimed to examine the effect of supplementing micronutrients such as calcium, vitamin E, D + C, magnesium and folic acid in women identified as having a greater risk of developing pre-eclampsia. A summary of twenty papers showed that there is a lower rate of pre-eclampsia amongst individuals who supplemented with calcium and vitamin D, however the studies included in this systematic review have limitations due to small sample sizes and variation amongst results. Previous literature has shown that calcium supplementation can reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia and that it's most effective in women with low calcium diets, so the results of this review are consistent with the current research so far. The mechanism of action is thought to be that calcium has the ability to lower blood pressure. The results of previous literature and the findings from this review support the use of calcium for women at risk of pre-eclampsia, particularly in women with low dietary intake.
