Maternal levels of vitamin E in normal and preeclamptic pregnancy

Vitamin E, a potent antioxidant, may play a role in preventing preeclampsia . Maternal blood samples were collected between 28 and 40 weeks' gestation from women with mild preeclampsia (n=17), women with severe preeclampsia (n =16) and the control group (n=15). This control group was consisted of 15 p regnant women without hypertension episode during their pregnancy. Vitamin E levels were significantly higher in normotensive pregnant women (1.00+/-0 .20 mg/dL) than in those with mild (0.56+/-0.15 mg/dL) or severe (0.37+/-0. 75 mg/dL) preeclampsia (P<0.001). In preeclamptic women, when systolic bloo d pressure increases, maternal levels of vitamin E significantly decrease ( P<0.05), also when diastolic blood pressure increases, maternal levels of v itamin E significantly decrease (P<0.05). Measurement of vitamin E concentr ation in plasma may be useful as a prognostic marker of the likely developm ent of preeclampsia.