calcium supplementation during pregnancy (bp of offspring)

Last reviewed 01/2018

A follow up of a population enrolled in a double blind, randomised, placebo controlled trial in which the long term effect of calcium supplementation during pregnancy on the offspring's blood pressure during childhood was investigated. The subjects of the study were 591 children at a mean age of 7 years whose mothers were randomly assigned during pregnancy to receive 2g per day of elemental calcium (n = 298) or placebo (n = 293).

The study revealed that the systolic blood pressure of children aged between 5 and 9 years was lower when mothers took calcium rather than placebo during pregnancy. The effect was predominantly found among children with a body mass index above the median for this population.

Reference:

1. BMJ (1997); 315: 281-5.