Prevention of preeclampsia with calcium supplementation and vitamin D3 in an antenatal protocol.
OBJECTIVE
Using an angiotensin sensitivity test we carried out a prospective study in an attempt to predict the possible onset of preeclampsia and to prevent it by calcium supplementation (elemental calcium 156 or 312 mg/day per os) and treatment with vitamin D3 (0.5 micrograms/3 day per os).


METHODS
We used a study design in which 666 singleton pregnant women were managed with conventional antenatal care and 210 singleton pregnant women were managed with a protocol, together with conventional antenatal care.


RESULTS
Of the 666 women managed conventionally, 113 (16.9%) developed preeclampsia. However, the incidence of preeclampsia in the 210 women managed on the protocol was lower, at 10.9%.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that this protocol for the prediction and prevention of preeclampsia is useful for pregnant women at high risk of developing preeclampsia.
Ito
M
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Japan.
Koyama
H
H
Ohshige
A
A
Maeda
T
T
Yoshimura
T
T
Okamura
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000804:Angiotensin II; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002118:Calcium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015984:Causality; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D010298:Parity; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000804:Angiotensin II; D002762:Cholecalciferol; D002118:Calcium