International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Taking vitamins C and E during pregnancy won't reduce the risk of adverse outcomes from pregnancy-related hypertension or preeclampsia, according to researchers.

No differences in complications from the conditions were found between patients taking the vitamins and those taking a placebo during a randomised controlled trial carried out by the University of Pittsburgh, US.

"The findings ... provide no support for the use of vitamin C and E supplementation in pregnancy to reduce the risk of preeclampsia or its complications," the researchers concluded.

Preeclampsia is a condition that can occur during pregnancy that involves high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine.

The study also discovered that other problems such as low birth weight, respiratory distress syndrome or the need for a Caesarean section were also unaffected by the daily dose of 1,000 mg of vitamin C or 400 international units of vitamin E.

Last month, a Department of Health survey discovered that half of mothers aren't aware that Vitamin D taken during pregnancy can help prevent their child from developing rickets.