Antioxidants Article

Preeclampsia, that combination of high blood pressure or hypertension and swelling (edema) and protein in the urine (albuminuria, proteinuria), often develops in women susceptible to it after the 20th week of pregnancy. Countless preeclampsia prediction studies have been conducted to find out exactly what causes such a disorder. Preeclampsia it seems ranges in severity from mild to severe. According to preeclampsia prediction studies, the mild form is sometimes called preteinuric pregnancy-induced hypertension or proteinuric gestational hypertension. This the most common form of preeclampsia that occur in women.

Women who have mild preeclampsia must be monitored carefully by a healthcare professional. This is so that preeclampsia prediction studies can properly observe the development of the disorder and in case of an onset, prompt treatment can be given. Hospitalization is often the best mode of prevention which preeclampsia prediction studies suggest.

Preeclampsia Prediction Studies and the Role of Combined Antioxidants

Many preeclampsia prediction studies have been conducted but none were able to find out the true cause of the disorder. In fact, much of preeclampsia remains unknown to the medical community. The only observation made by these preeclampsia prediction studies which offer a clue to the origins of the disorder is that it is more common in women during their first pregnancy.

Preeclampsia prediction studies have also made a connection of the onset of the disorder in women who are obese, who have diabetes, or who have gestational hypertension. Women who have had preeclampsia during a previous pregnancy are also at increased risk. Other preeclampsia prediction studies also point to calcium deficiencies, combined antioxidant deficiencies, older maternal age, and job stress.

Combined Antioxidants may be Helpful

Combined antioxidant deficiency has been associated with preeclampsia. In numerous controlled preeclampsia prediction studies, oral combined antioxidant supplementation has been studied as a possible preventive measure.

In one preliminary trial, women with a previous pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia and high homocysteine were supplemented with 5 mg and 250 mg of the combined antioxidants, folic acid and vitamin B26, per day. The result was a successful lowering of homocysteine levels. In another study, combined antioxidants called lycopene may also play a role in preventing preeclampsia from developing.

This combined antioxidant is actually a carotenoid found in tomatoes, watermelon, and several other foods. The concentration of this combined antioxidant in the blood has been found to be significantly lower in women with preeclampsia than in healthy pregnant women. This led nutrition scientists to conclude that the combined antioxidant that is lycopene may have beneficial effects on women who exhibit a propensity for the disorder.