Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2440/17286
Citations
Scopus Web of Science® Altmetric
?
?
Type: Journal article
Title: Vitamin supplementation for preventing miscarriage
Author: Rumbold, A.
Middleton, P.
Crowther, C.
Citation: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2005; Online(2):WWW1-WWW105
Publisher: Update Software Ltd
Issue Date: 2005
ISSN: 1469-493X
1469-493X
Statement of
Responsibility: 
Rumbold A, Middleton P, Crowther CA
Abstract: <h4>Background</h4>Miscarriage is a common complication of pregnancy that can be caused by a wide range of factors. Poor dietary intake of vitamins has been associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, therefore supplementing women with vitamins either prior to or in early pregnancy may help prevent miscarriage.<h4>Objectives</h4>The objectives of this review are to determine the effectiveness and safety of any vitamin supplementation, on the risk of spontaneous miscarriage, maternal adverse outcomes and fetal and infant adverse outcomes.<h4>Search strategy</h4>We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group Trials Register (8 September 2004), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library, Issue 2, 2003) and MEDLINE (1966 to May 2003), Current Contents (1998 to May 2003) and EMBASE (1980 to May 2003).<h4>Selection criteria</h4>All randomised and quasi-randomised trials comparing one or more vitamins with either placebo, other vitamins, no vitamins or other interventions, prior to conception, periconceptionally or in early pregnancy (less than 20 weeks' gestation).<h4>Data collection and analysis</h4>Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion, extracted data and assessed trial quality.<h4>Main results</h4>We identified seventeen trials assessing supplementation with any vitamin(s) starting prior to 20 weeks' gestation and reporting at least one primary outcome that were eligible for the review. Overall, the included trials involved 35,812 women and 37,353 pregnancies. Two trials were cluster randomised and contributed data for 20,758 women and 22,299 pregnancies in total. No difference was seen between women taking any vitamins compared with controls for total fetal loss (relative risk (RR) 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.95 to 1.15), early or late miscarriage (RR 1.08, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.24) or stillbirth (RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.14) and most of the other primary outcomes, using fixed-effect models. For the other primary outcomes, women given any type of vitamin(s) compared with controls were less likely to develop pre-eclampsia (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.85, four trials, 5580 women) and more likely to have a multiple pregnancy (RR 1.38, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.70, three trials, 20,986 women).<h4>Authors' conclusions</h4>Taking vitamin supplements, alone or in combination with other vitamins, prior to pregnancy or in early pregnancy, does not prevent women experiencing miscarriage or stillbirth. However, women taking vitamin supplements may be less likely to develop pre-eclampsia and more likely to have a multiple pregnancy.
Keywords: Humans
Abortion, Spontaneous
Abortion, Habitual
Pre-Eclampsia
Ascorbic Acid
Vitamin A
Vitamins
Pregnancy Outcome
Pregnancy
Dietary Supplements
Female
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Rights: Copyright © 2005 The Cochrane Collaboration.
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004073
Appears in Collections:Aurora harvest 6
Obstetrics and Gynaecology publications

Files in This Item:
There are no files associated with this item.


Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.