Background & Aims: Preeclampsia (PIH) is the complication of pregnancies involving   multiple systems that could cause mortality and morbidity of mothers and  infants. Recent studieshave shown that antioxidants has a protective role in pregnancy from peroxidase cellular damage, as well as a decline in antioxidants blood level in preeclamptic pregnant women. This study was amed to evaluate  the role of vitamin E and vitamin C in prevention of PIH high risk pregnancies.  

Materials & Methods: In this study we included 100 high risk patients with diabetic mellitus, chronic renal failure, chronic hypertension, patients with BMI>30, and patients with a history of previous severe PIH. All referred to Urmia Motahari hospital, since 2004 to 2009 and were randomly divided into two groups: intervention (49 patients) and control groups (51 patients). Theintervention group patients were treated with 1000 mg of vitamin C and 400 mg of vitamin E daily from 16^th week of pregnancy up to delivery or termination of pregnancy due to preeclampsia, in contrast to the fact that the control group were not treated beyond their previous medications. The incidence and time of beginning of preeclampsia was compared in two groups by Q square test, and the analysis was done by Spss software.

  Results: In the end of the study 14 patients out of 49 (32%) in the intervention group became preeclamptic via 29 patients (67.4%) in control group. In comparison with the difference between was statistically meaningful with the P 0<0.05 and the odds’ ratio of 0.3.

  Conclusion: This trial demonstrates benefits of vitamin C and E supplements in reducing the rate of preeclampsia among high risk pregnancies, and we can propose to use this antioxidants to privention of preeclampsia in high risk pregnancies.

SOURCE: URMIA MED J 2012: 23(4): 453 ISSN: 1027-3727