Coenzyme Q10 supplementation reduces risk of PE

[caryn]

...Of the 235 women enrolled in the trial, 118 were randomized to receive CoQ10 and 117 received a placebo. A total of 197 (83.8%) women were followed-up. The overall rate of pre-eclampsia was 20% (n=47). Thirty women (25.6%) in the placebo group developed pre-eclampsia compared with 17 women (14.4%) in the CoQ10 group, and this reduction was significant (P=0.035) (relative risk [RR] 0.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.33-0.96)...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19154996

Y'all know what I'm going to say: ask your MFMs before you supplement this. It's a smallish study from Ecuador, published in a decent journal, and we will need further testing to confirm or deny the value of this intervention.

One thing that pops out at me is that they state they enrolled women "at increased risk" of PE and that then they had a 20% preeclampsia rate. It would be very useful to sort out *which* women benefited from this -- just the chronics? just the autoimmune cases? just the thrombophiliacs? -- and whether or not it made outcomes for people with different underlying disorders *worse*.

Information provided on this site is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disorder, or prescribing any medication. The Preeclampsia Foundation presents all data as is, without any warranty of any kind, express or implied, and is not liable for its accuracy, for mistakes or omissions of any kind, nor for any loss or damage caused by a user's reliance on information obtained on the site. Professional opinions on this condition vary greatly. The Preeclampsia Foundation endorses no one course of treatment or "cure".

[saving_grace]

This is an old thread but I just came across the same study online last night when I was trying to find out if coQ10 was safe during pregnancy because I've already been taking it since before conceiving this baby. I didn't even think to worry about its safety during pregnancy until last night. Duh! I will ask my OB about it tomorrow. I'm inclined to keep taking it a few times a week as long as OB doesn't have a problem with it. I take a 400 mg pill from vitacost.com. I've read that coQ10 repairs tissue - even gum disease. I hope that it will help the placenta. I'm wondering about the study - they didn't start the women on coQ10 until 20 weeks. I wonder what would have happened if they had started it in the 1st trimester. Its very intriguing for sure!

[kara]

hmmm...one of our members was on CoQ10 for a genetic metabolic disorder that was found after her HELLP experience. She continued it thru her 2nd pregnancy with great outcomes. she was also on other medications and was being managed closely.

[saving_grace]

I talked to the OB today and he said it was fine for me to continue taking my coQ10. It would be awesome to at least make it to term this time if nothing else. Crossing my fingers that I have good results like some of the others.