Women who take folic acid supplements while they are pregnant may be less likely to develop pre-eclampsia, a new study suggests.
Research published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology found that pregnant women who took multivitamins containing folic acid were far less likely to develop the condition.
Pre-eclampsia affects around seven per cent of pregnant women and is characterised by elevated blood pressure which can put the mother at risk of seizures, convulsions and stroke.
However, experts studying nearly 3,000 pregnant women found that just 2.2 per cent of women who took folic acid supplements developed pre-eclampsia, compared to 5.1 per cent of women who did not take the supplements.
Health experts already recommend that women take folic acid during pregnancy as the supplements have been shown to prevent the likelihood of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.
Women who take folic acid supplements while they are pregnant may be less likely to develop pre-eclampsia, a new study suggests.
