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.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Japan.
M
M
Ito
H
H
Koyama
A
A
Ohshige
T
T
Maeda
T
T
Yoshimura
H
H
Okamura
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