March 29, 2006 --
This month, researchers across the globe, under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO), investigated whether calcium supplementation could reduce the complications and mortality from a certain pregnancy condition.
" …calcium significantly decreased the risk of its more serious complications, including maternal and severe neonatal morbidity and mortality, as well as preterm delivery, the latter among young women. "
Preeclampsia, the development of high blood pressure and protein in the urine during pregnancy and its more severe complications such as
eclampsia
, can threaten the lives of both mother and child. While there is no therapy to prevent preeclampsia, this recent study found that calcium intake can reduce occurrences of eclampsia.
The study was published in the March issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, researchers across the globe, under the auspices of the WHO, investigated whether a calcium supplement could reduce the complications and mortality from this condition.
Over 8,300 women with low dietary calcium (less than 600 milligrams per day) were selected for the study. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups that had similar gestational ages, demographic characteristics, and normal blood pressures before treatment started. Half were given 1.5 grams of a calcium supplement per day and the other half received a placebo.
Eclampsia Was Significantly Lower with the Calcium Group
While the incidence of preeclampsia was not statistically different in the supplemented women, eclampsia and severe gestational hypertension were significantly lower.
Preterm and early preterm delivery (under 32 weeks) tended to be reduced among women who were at highest risk for low calcium and complications. Neonatal mortality was also lower in the calcium group.
This multi-center, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial was performed at antenatal care centers located in Rosario, Argentina; Assiut, Egypt; Nagpur and Vellore, India; Lima, Peru; East London and Johannesburg, South Africa; and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. These centers are part of the WHO Maternal and Perinatal Research Network, each having extensive clinical trial experience.
Writing in the article, Jose Villar, MD, states, "This large randomized trial in populations with low calcium intake demonstrates that while supplementation with 1.5 gm calcium/day did not result in a statistically significant decrease in the overall incidence of preeclampsia, calcium significantly decreased the risk of its more serious complications, including maternal and severe neonatal morbidity and mortality, as well as preterm delivery, the latter among young women."
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