review of the literature on the association between vitamin D status and the risk of preeclampsia

Complications related to pregnancy and childbirth are the leading causes of disability and death among women of reproductive age in developing countries, constituting at least 18% of the global burden of disease in this age-group. Preeclampsia is a serious, pregnancy-specific disorder that affects up to 8% of pregnant women. Preeclampsia may lead to maternal and offspring mortality and it increases the risk of premature birth and fetal growth restriction. Vitamin D is a potent immunomodulatory agent. There is an evidence pointing toward an association between the vitamin D status and preeclampsia risk. The purpose of the present study is to review the available literature investigating the role of serum levels of vitamin D in preeclampsia. The study findings further highlight the possibility that vitamin D deficiency is a strong, independent risk factor for preeclampsia and vitamin D supplementation may be a simple step to reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes providing lifelong benefits both to the mother and her developing child

Preventive and therapeutic effects of tranexamic acid on postpartum bleeding

Postpartum hemorrhage is among the leading causes of maternal mortality throughout the world. Severe blood loss contributes to the increased blood transfusion risk with its concerned inherent adverse events and therefore increased rate of emergency re-operative interventions such as arterial ligation or hysterectomy. It also can lead to protracted anemia, particularly in low or median income countries. Extended application of antifibrinolytic agents such as tranexamic acid has been customary for long years to stop or reduce blood loss in postpartum period. However, there are not enough reliable evidence to approve the real efficacy of these drugs. In this brief and summary review, we pointed to a few conducted studies. The PubMed was searched for keyword including postpartum hemorrhage, tranexamic acid, cesarean section, vaginal delivery, and blood loss prevention. The articles with language other than English were excluded from our review. We concluded that more convincing information is needed to determine the precise effects of tranexamic acid, and its benefits against adverse effects