American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Volume 202, Issue 1 , Pages 45.e1-45.e9, January 2010

Effects of calcium supplementation on uteroplacental and fetoplacental blood flow in low-calcium-intake mothers: a randomized controlled trial

  • Guillermo Carroli, MD

      Affiliations

    • Centro Rosarino de Estudios Perinatales, Rosario, Argentina
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprints: Guillermo Carroli, MD, Pueyrredon 985, Rosario 2000, Santa Fe, Argentina
    • ,
  • Mario Merialdi, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)/World Health Organization /World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Geneva, Switzerland
    • ,
  • Daniel Wojdyla, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Centro Rosarino de Estudios Perinatales, Rosario, Argentina
    • ,
  • Edgardo Abalos, MD

      Affiliations

    • Centro Rosarino de Estudios Perinatales, Rosario, Argentina
    • ,
  • Liana Campodonico, MSc

      Affiliations

    • Centro Rosarino de Estudios Perinatales, Rosario, Argentina
    • ,
  • Shih-Ern Yao, MBBS

      Affiliations

    • United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)/World Health Organization /World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Geneva, Switzerland
    • ,
  • Rogelio Gonzalez, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Centre for Perinatal Diagnosis, Sotero del Rio Hospital, Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
    • ,
  • Russell Deter, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
    • ,
  • Marshall Lindheimer, MD

      Affiliations

    • Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Medicine, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
    • ,
  • Paul Van Look, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)/World Health Organization /World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Geneva, Switzerland

Received 4 February 2009; received in revised form 15 June 2009; accepted 16 June 2009. published online 31 August 2009.

Objective

We postulated that calcium supplementation of calcium-deficient pregnant women would lower vascular resistance in uteroplacental and fetoplacental circulations.

Study Design

Pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI) (uterine and umbilical arteries) and presence of bilateral uterine artery diastolic notching were assessed by Doppler ultrasound between 20-36 weeks' gestation in 510 healthy, nulliparous Argentinean women with deficient calcium intake in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial.

Results

Average umbilical and uterine artery RI and PI tended to be lower in the supplemented group at each study week. Differences became statistically significant for umbilical artery RI and PI from 32 and 36 weeks, respectively. Estimated probabilities of bilateral uterine artery diastolic notching trended toward lower values in calcium-supplemented women.

Conclusion

Calcium supplementation of pregnant women with deficient calcium intake may affect uteroplacental and fetoplacental blood flow by preserving the vasodilation of normal gestation.

Key words: calcium supplementation, Doppler velocimetry, preeclampsia

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 This is an ancillary study performed in parallel with the World Health Organization calcium supplementation trial among low-calcium-intake women (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2006;194:639-49).

 Cite this article as: Carroli G, Merialdi M, Wojdyla D, et al. Effects of calcium supplementation on uteroplacental and fetoplacental blood flow in low-calcium-intake mothers: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2010;202:45.e1-9.

PII: S0002-9378(09)00822-9

doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2009.07.037

American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Volume 202, Issue 1 , Pages 45.e1-45.e9, January 2010

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