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BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Published in: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 1/2013

Open Access 01-12-2013 | Research article

Survey of calcium supplementation to prevent preeclampsia: the gap between evidence and practice in Brazil

Authors: Erika Barbosa Camargo, Luci Fabiane Scheffer Moraes, Celsa Moura Souza, Rita Akutsu, Jorge Maia Barreto, Edina Mariko Koga da Silva, Ana Pilar Betrán, Maria Regina Torloni

Published in: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth | Issue 1/2013

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Abstract

Background

Preeclampsia is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide and especially in Latin America. High quality evidence indicates that calcium supplementation during pregnancy significantly reduces the incidence of preeclampsia and its consequences, including severe maternal morbidity and death. Few studies have assessed the implementation of this intervention in clinical practice. The study aimed to assess the proportion of pregnant women who received calcium supplements in Brazilian public antenatal care clinics.

Methods

This cross-sectional study interviewed women waiting for antenatal care visits in 9 public clinics in 4 Brazilian cities in 2010-2012. Trained interviewers used a standardized anonymous questionnaire to collect socio demographic and obstetric data, information on ingestion of dairy products and on prescriptions received during current pregnancy.

Results

A total of 788 valid questionnaires were analyzed. Participants were young (mean age 25.9), mostly multiparous (71.3%) and in the 2nd or 3rd trimesters of pregnancy at the time of interview (87.6%). Only 5.1% (40/788) had received a prescription for calcium supplements. Based on their reported ingestion of dairy products, the mean daily dietary calcium intake of the participants was 210 (+ 265) mg/day and over 90% consumed less than 1 g of calcium/day.

Conclusions

Despite good quality evidence indicating the benefits of this practice especially for women with low calcium diets, less than 6% of a sample of women receiving antenatal care in Brazilian public clinics received a prescription for calcium supplements. There is an urgent need to upscale the implementation of this life-saving intervention.
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Metadata
Title
Survey of calcium supplementation to prevent preeclampsia: the gap between evidence and practice in Brazil
Authors
Erika Barbosa Camargo
Luci Fabiane Scheffer Moraes
Celsa Moura Souza
Rita Akutsu
Jorge Maia Barreto
Edina Mariko Koga da Silva
Ana Pilar Betrán
Maria Regina Torloni
Publication date
01-12-2013
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth / Issue 1/2013
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2393
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2393-13-206

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