Selenium Supplementation and the Incidence of Preeclampsia in Pregnant Iranian Women: a Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Pilot Trial

Preeclampsia is a relatively common condition in pregnancy, involving a wide range of clinical and para clinical conditions, makes serious effects on maternal health and pregnancy outcome. In this study, effects of selenium supplementation on incidence of preeclampsia in pregnant women was evaluated.Material and Methods: In a double-blind clinical trial, 180 pregnant women were selected by convenience sampling method and assigned to intervention and control groups, using a random block design. The intervention and control groups received 100 micrograms of selenium supplement and placebo per day, respectively. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, preeclampsia, pregnancy and delivery outcomes including gestational age, birth weight and first minute Apgar score were measured in two groups and analyzed using SPSS version 16.Results: No statistically significant difference were between groups in terms of age, body mass index and mean serum level of selenium before intervention. Incidence of preeclampsia in intervention and control group was 9 and 5 respectively (P=0.285). There was no significant difference between sex and Apgar score of neonates in groups, but the mean birth weight, systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the intervention group were significantly higher and the mean gestational age was lower (P <0.05).Conclusion: Administration of 100 micrograms of selenium supplementation in pregnant women, from prenatalogy to the end of pregnancy, had no effect on decreasing preeclampsia incidence in comparison with the control group. But it is effective in reducing the severity of preeclampsia.

کلیدواژه ها:

Pregnancy ، Preeclampsia ، Selenium Supplement ، Clinical Trial