Maternal Antioxidant Levels in Pregnancy and Risk of Preeclampsia and Small for Gestational Age Birth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Study answer

What this study found

Third-trimester levels of vitamins A, C, E and carotenoids tended to be lower in pregnancies with preeclampsia, but heterogeneity was high. Lipid-corrected vitamin E results were inconsistent. For SGA, evidence of lower carotenoids in the second trimester exists but data are limited. Observational data suggest lower antioxidant levels may reflect disease processes rather than causation; randomized trials of antioxidant supplementation largely show null effects on prevention, and publication bias and confounding limit conclusions. More robust observational studies with serial biomarker…

Study & population

Pregnant women from general populations and high-risk groups.

Key limitation

Most studies were small and at high risk of bias; confounding not consistently addressed; substantial between-study heterogeneity; antioxidant measurements often late in pregnancy; variable assay methods and reporting; publication bias likely; the evidence base is observational and cannot establish causality.

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Original abstract