Antioxidants may help prevent pre-eclampsia, reduce intrauterine growth restriction

Antioxidant therapy in pregnant women has the potential to lower the risks of pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction, according to a study.

Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of oral antioxidant therapy studies that determined whether the therapies were effective at preventing and/or treating pre-eclampsia. They searched multiple online databases for relevant studies.

The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane collaboration’s tool, while publication bias in the primary outcome of prevention studies was evaluated through a funnel plot created using Egger’s and Peter’s test. The overall quality of evidence was determined using the GRADE tool.

A total of 32 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Of these, 22 focused on investigating pre-eclampsia prevention methods, while 10 focused on pre-eclampsia treatment. Pooled data from prevention studies—which comprised 11,198 participants and 1,106 events in the control groups, as well as 11,156 participants and 1,048 events in the intervention groups—showed an association between antioxidant therapy and reduced incidence of pre-eclampsia (relative risk [RR], 0.86, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.75–0.99, p=0.03; I2=44 percent, p=0.02).

With respect to outcomes examined in treatment studies, antioxidant therapy had a significant effect on intrauterine growth restriction only.

There was evidence of publication bias. Six outcomes in prevention studies were classified as having low quality, and two moderate quality. Meanwhile, all three outcomes assessed in treatment studies were classified as having moderate quality.