Calcium could reduce severity of preeclampsia in pregnant women

A new international level study has found that consuming enough amounts of calcium during pregnancy could help stave off a lethal condition called as preeclampsia, in which the blood pressure levels of the pregnant woman shoot up to dangerous levels.

But Dr. Jose Villar of the World Health Organization, who led this study, admitted that the extra calcium did not seem to reduce the number of women who suffered from this condition, but only reduced its severity. "Women under 20 are at particular risk of these complications and would benefit from consuming more calcium. All women should be sure that they have at least 1.2g of calcium during pregnancy," he said.

Reporting in the March issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the research team spread across the globe tracked the progress of 8300 women selected for the study. All these women had a low intake of dietary calcium to the tune of 600 milligrams a day. The women were randomly divided into two groups based on similar ages, demographic characteristics and blood pressure levels. One group was given 1.5 grams of calcium, while the other group received a placebo.

It was found that although calcium supplements did not significantly alter the incidence of preeclampsia, they did reduce the severity of it. Additionally, it was found that the high blood pressure was also controlled in the calcium group. These trials were held at centers of the WHO Maternal and Perinatal Research Network at "Rosario, Argentina; Assiut, Egypt; Nagpur and Vellore, India; Lima, Peru; East London and Johannesburg, South Africa; and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam."

But Dr. Marshall Lindheimer of the University of Chicago and a co-author of the report said they were disappointed since there was no conclusive evidence linking calcium intake to reduced incidence of preeclampsia. The exact mechanism of how calcium helped in preeclampsia was also not clear.

"It may affect the contractability of the blood vessels," he said. "Intracellular calcium is very important in muscle physiology. When you replenish the calcium, they [vessels] are in a more dilated state. It may be that effect which makes the disease less severe."

Preeclampsia affects about 9 percent of all pregnancies in the world with most cases being reported outside the United States where calcium deficiency is more marked. In extreme cases of preeclampsia, the woman can become affected by seizures, go into a coma or even die. It is recommended that pregnant women up their calcium intake to 1,200 milligrams per day through diet or supplements.

Refference : Darya Zarin (http://www.earthtimes.org)