Calcium has been found to be helpful for people who are at risk of developing preeclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is a condition in pregnancy that can cause you and your baby to become seriously ill. One of the common symptoms is high blood pressure. Read more about pre-eclampsia.
- Getting calcium from your diet is the best way to ensure you get enough calcium. The best sources of calcium are low-fat milk and milk products as the calcium in milk is easily absorbed by the body. Calcium is also found in other foods, including dark green leafy vegetables, almonds, sardines, salmon with bones and tofu.
- Although getting calcium from your diet is preferred, there may not be enough calcium in your diet to prevent pre-eclampsia and taking calcium tablets may be necessary.
Note: Low-dose aspirin has also been found to be beneficial for pregnant people who are at risk of developing preeclampsia. Read more about low dose aspirin in pregnancy.
Risk factors for pre‑eclampsia
The chance of developing pre-eclampsia is higher if you have:
- certain medical conditions, eg, high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, antiphospholipid antibodies or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
- had pre-eclampsia before
- a sister or mother who had pre-eclampsia
- had in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
