Nutritional prevention of pre-eclampsia — A special role for 1 series prostaglandin precursors?

PGE1 appears to act as a physiological regulator of uteroplacental blood flow. Its vasodilatory, anti-vasopressor, and platelet stabilizing effects could be expected to counteract the placental ischemia, hypertension and excessive coagulation that are seen in pre-eclampsia. Supplementation with efficient essential fatty acid precursors of PGE1 reduces platelet aggregation, has been used with success in the treatment of hypertension and arterial vasospasm, and might offer a nutritional means of reducing the incidence and severity of pre-eclampsia. Assurance of adequate general nutrition also appears to be of importance in this regard.