Effect of iron supplementation during early pregnancy on the development of gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia

Objective To investigate the association between iron supplementation during early pregnancy and the presence of de novo hypertension after 20 weeks’ gestation (either gestational hypertension or pre-eclampsia). Study design Retrospective cohort study. Methods This study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of non-anemic pregnant women who received first antenatal care at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand, during the June 2009–December 2010 study period. All included women had blood pressure and urine albumin level data that were recorded at each antenatal visit. The study population was divided into one of the two following groups: iron supplementation starting at gestational age (GA)