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Updated: Aug 29, 2026
Modifying Levels of Maternal Dietary Folic Acid or Choline to Study the Impact of Deficiencies on Offspring Health Outcomes
Published on: June 28, 2024
Effects of maternal antioxidant supplementation on maternal and fetal antioxidant levels: a randomized, double-blind
Eva K Pressman1, Judith L Cavanaugh, Matthew Mingione
1Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.
Objective:
We sought to determine whether vitamins C and E could be delivered to the fetal-placental unit through maternal oral supplementation.
Study Design:
In a randomized, double-blind study, 20 women received a daily prenatal vitamin with or without 400 IU of vitamin E and 500 mg of vitamin C, starting at 35 weeks' gestation. At randomization, a nutritional questionnaire, plasma vitamin C and E and red blood cell (RBC) vitamin E levels were determined. At delivery, concentrations of maternal and fetal plasma vitamin C and E, maternal and fetal RBC vitamin E, amniotic fluid vitamin C, and chorioamnion vitamin E and tensile strength were determined.
Results:
Maternal plasma vitamin E levels increased in the supplemented women but not in the control subjects. No changes in maternal vitamin C levels were noted. Maternal plasma vitamin C concentrations at delivery correlated closely with amniotic fluid vitamin C levels. Similarly, maternal plasma vitamin E levels at delivery correlated with the chorioamnion concentration of vitamin E.
Conclusions:
Maternal plasma vitamin E levels are increased by oral supplementation. Maternal plasma vitamin C and E concentrations correlate with the concentration of vitamin C in the amniotic fluid and vitamin E in the chorioamnion, respectively.
