Pregnancy – Vitamins Don’t Reduce Risk of Preeclampsia

New research finds that vitamins C and E may not be helpful in preventing certain problems, like preeclampsia, that can arise during pregnancy.

A condition called preeclampsia has become more common in pregnant women in recent years.
Women with this condition develop high blood pressure and protein in the urine, and their babies are at higher risk of complications such as low birth weight.

Past research has associated vitamin C and E supplements with fewer cases of preeclampsia. In a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine, doctors gave more than 10,000 pregnant women either vitamins C and E or a placebo daily, starting between the 9th and 16th weeks. They wanted to see if the vitamins had an effect on high blood pressure associated with pregnancy or other problems, such as the need for early delivery.

However, the moms had similar outcomes, whether or not they took the vitamin supplements. As a result, the researchers conclude that taking these supplements during pregnancy doesn’t appear to reduce the risk of preeclampsia or its complications.