It's a complication that can be deadly for expectant moms and their babies. Preeclampsia occurs in about five percent of pregnancies. Now new research finds that taking high doses of two vitamins may not protect pregnant women from this condition. 7’s Chris May has more.
Pregnant women are usually told by their doctors to take plenty of vitamins to stay healthy. When it comes to preeclampsia some experts have recommended women at risk for the condition take high doses of vitamin C and vitamin E to help reduce their risk.
Massachusetts General Hospital obstetrician Jeffrey Ecker says, "Preeclampsia is one of the common complications of pregnancy marked by high blood pressure, protein in the urine and classically, swelling of the hands and feet."
But now a new study finds taking those vitamins may not lower the risk of this condition. In this study, researchers in the United Kingdom asked 2,400 pregnant women at high risk for preeclampsia to take high doses of vitamin C and vitamin E or a placebo each day.
Fifteen percent of the women taking the vitamins got preeclampsia. But 16 percent of women taking the placebo also got it. "This tells us the combination of high doses of vitamin E and vitamin C don't seem to prevent preeclampsia as they had in some smaller studies. So there's no reason, based on this study to supplement those doses with extra levels of vitamin C or vitamin E," says Dr. Ecker.
And that's why experts say for now a pregnant woman's best defense against preeclampsia is to know if she is at risk. "Risk factors are being younger or older when you're pregnant. Other risk factors are having underlying diseases like high blood pressure, or kidney disease," explains Dr. Ecker.
The study also finds that more low-birth weight babies were born to the women taking vitamins that those who took the placebo. Right now the only cure for preeclampsia is to deliver the baby which can be difficult if the baby is not full term.
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