PREVENTION OF PREECLAMPSIA WITH CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTATION AND ITS RELATION WITH THE L-ARGININE-NITRIC OXIDE PATHWAY

Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) remains a common cause of materna l and fetal morbidity and mortality. During the past 7 years, some pro gress has been made in the prevention of PIH. Specifically, clinical s tudies have shown that supplementation with calcium can significantly reduce the frequency of PIH, especially in populations with a low calc ium intake. We have suggested that, in such a population, calcium supp lementation is a safe and effective measure for reducing the incidence of PM. Calcium supplementation reduces the risk of PIH by maintaining the serum ionized calcium level which is crucial for the production o f endothelial nitric oxide, the increased generation of which maintain s the vasodilatation that is characteristic of normal pregnancy. In PI H there is an impaired nitric oxide synthesis and cyclic GMP productio n.