Calcium supplementation to prevent hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

Article Abstract:

High blood pressure is a well recognized complication of pregnancy. It is most common among women who are pregnant for the first time and generally begins after the 20th week of pregnancy. Previous studies have reported that pregnant women who develop high blood pressure have low levels of calcium in their urine and that calcium supplements can lower blood pressure in pregnant women. Other studies have shown that calcium supplements can lower blood pressure in women who are not pregnant and in patients with high blood pressure. Therefore, a study was performed to determine if daily calcium supplements can prevent high blood pressure from developing during pregnancy. The study included 1,194 women who were in the 20th week of their first pregnancy. Calcium carbonate (2 grams per day) was given to 593 of the women, and 601 women were given a placebo. Blood pressure was measured on a routine basis between weeks 20 and 40 of pregnancy. Results indicated that 9.8 percent of the women who received calcium supplements developed high blood pressure during pregnancy, while 14.8 percent of the women who did not receive calcium supplements developed high blood pressure. The ability of the calcium supplements to reduce the risk of high blood pressure was greatest among the women who had the lowest ratios of calcium to creatinine in their urine at week 20 of pregnancy. Calcium supplements had no effect on the incidence of preterm delivery or on the number of perinatal deaths. It is concluded that calcium supplements can safely reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure during pregnancy. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Prevention, Dietary supplements, Calcium carbonate, Hypertension in pregnancy, Gestational hypertension

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A randomized trial of psychosocial support during high-risk pregnancies

Article Abstract:

Extra psychological and social support may not improve the health of women with high-risk pregnancies or prevent low-birth-weight in their infants. Some experts believe that extra psychosocial support and health education may improve the pregnancy outcome of disadvantaged women or those from developing countries. Among 2,235 women with high risk pregnancies in Latin America, 1,115 received prenatal care including four to six visits from a nurse or social worker and 1,120 received only routine prenatal care. Almost 9% of the women who received extra psychosocial support gave birth to an infant with a low-birth-weight, compared to 9.4% of those who received routine prenatal care. Slightly more than 11% of the women in the psychosocial support group delivered their infant prematurely, compared to 12.5% of those in the routine prenatal care group. The occurrence of intrauterine growth retardation was approximately the same among the two groups of women.

Psychological aspects, Health aspects, Physiological aspects, Social networks, Pregnancy, Complications of, Pregnancy complications, Emotions

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Impact of health education during pregnancy on behavior and utilization of health resources

Article Abstract:

Providing health education and psychosocial support to pregnant women in developing countries may not improve the health of either mothers or infants. Researchers in four Latin American cities implemented a program of home visits by trained nurses to 1,115 pregnant women with at least one risk factor. Visits covered health education and psychosocial support. Although women receiving home visits learned more about health and pregnancy, they did not experience less anxiety or build up a personal network of support people. Neither did the women show changes in diet, smoking or drinking, overexertion, continued breastfeeding past 40 days, or use of health facilities. The benefits of health interventions should be proven before programs are implemented.

Women, Education, Pregnant women, Health education, Health education of women

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