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Preeclampsia is the term used for hypertension (high blood pressure) that develops during pregnancy. Preeclampsia affects 5% to 10% of all pregnant women. With prenatal care a woman can be diagnosed. Since there is no cure for preeclampsia other than the ending of the pregnancy. It is important to reduce your risk for the development of the symptoms.

The disease has symptoms including rising blood pressure, retaining large amounts of fluid. If both of these symptoms are present, the woman needs to have some form of treatment. Once protein begins to be spilled into the urine, the risk of premature birth rises dramatically-usually within two weeks of the onset of protein in the urine.

The greatest risk in preeclampsia is to the baby. Blood clots can form and block the placenta from functioning. Placental dysfunction is the cause of the premature births. For the mother, the progression to eclampsia which can result in convulsions and even coma is of great concern.

Past research (Chappell, et al.) has shown that supplementation with vitamin C (1000 mg/day) and vitamin E (400 IU/day) reduces the development of preeclampsia by 21%. This was a randomized controlled trial and the 283 women enrolled in the study were all identified as having an increased risk for preeclampsia.

The conclusion of the authors was that "Supplementation with vitamins C and E may be beneficial in the prevention of preeclampsia in women at increased risk for the disease."

Decreased levels of vitamin C and E were found in women with preeclampsia by a number of other researchers. It was hypothesized by Madazli, et al that "In pre-eclampsia, antioxidant nutrients (vitamin C and E) are excessively utilized to counteract the cellular changes mediated by free radicals."

Preeclampsia differed from uncomplicated chronic hypertension. Women with uncomplicated chronic hypertension had the same levels of vitamin C and E as the normal controls. Gratacos et al stated that "The data further support the concept that increased lipid peroxides are not merely associated with the presence of hypertension in pregnancy, but they are implicated in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia."

Consult your healthcare provider as to whether increased vitamin C and E would be of benefit to you during your pregnancy.

REFERENCES
Madazli R; Benian A; Gumustas K; Uzun H; Ocak V; Aksu F. Lipid peroxidation and antioxidants in preeclampsia. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 1999 Aug;85(2):205-8

Chappell LC; Seed PT; Briley AL; Kelly FJ; Lee R; Hunt BJ; Parmar K; Bewley SJ; Shennan AH; Steer PJ; Poston L ; Effect of antioxidants on the occurrence of pre-eclampsia in women at increased risk: a randomised trial; Lancet 1999 Sep 4;354(9181):810-6

Gratacos E; Casals E; Deulofeu R; Gomez O; Cararach V; Alonso PL; Fortuny A;
Serum and placental lipid peroxides in chronic hypertension during pregnancy with and without superimposed preeclampsia. Hypertens Pregnancy 1999;18(2):139-46

Sagol S; Ozkinay E; Ozsener S Impaired antioxidant activity in women with pre-eclampsia. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 1999 Feb;64(2):121-7

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