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Several studies suggest that calcium supplementation prevents gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. This large, randomized, blinded trial did not find such a benefit.
Researchers randomized 4,589 healthy nulliparous women between 11 and 21 weeks of pregnancy to 2 g daily of elemental calcium or placebo. Patients were assessed for hypertension and proteinuria every four weeks through the second trimester and weekly during the last five weeks of pregnancy. About 65% of women in each group complied with treatment.
Overall, there was no difference between treatment groups in the incidence of hypertension, proteinuria, or preeclampsia: Preeclampsia occurred in 6.9% of the calcium group and 7.3% of the placebo group (relative risk, 0.94; 95% C…