Vitamin E supplements and gestational hypertension risk in ART pregnancies
What it found
In women who conceived through assisted reproductive technology, taking vitamin E supplements above 100 mg per day in early pregnancy was linked to a higher risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.
Dietary vitamin E from food was not linked to this risk.
What they found
Studies in people
Supplement dose and risk
Taking more than 100 mg per day of vitamin E supplement in early pregnancy was linked to a higher risk of gestational hypertension or preeclampsia. The risk increased with higher doses.
Dietary vitamin E
Vitamin E from food was not linked to the risk of gestational hypertension or preeclampsia.
Duration and cumulative dose
Using vitamin E supplements above 100 mg per day for more than 2 months or reaching a cumulative dose above 12,000 mg was linked to a higher risk.
Blood metabolites
Higher levels of certain vitamin E breakdown products from the alpha form were linked to a higher risk of gestational hypertension or preeclampsia.
Low dietary intake
Among women with low dietary vitamin E, only high-dose supplements above 100 mg per day were linked to a higher risk.
High dietary intake
Among women with high dietary vitamin E, any supplement dose was linked to a higher risk.
What the authors conclude
“The findings underscore the importance of cautious use of VE supplements during pregnancy, particularly among women with adequate dietary VE intake, to avoid potential risks of GH/PE.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that the findings highlight the importance of cautious use of vitamin E supplements during pregnancy, especially for women with adequate dietary vitamin E intake, to avoid potential risks of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.
- They advise that caution should be exercised to avoid the potential risks associated with inappropriate vitamin E supplementation in pregnant women.
How it was done
The authors wanted to assess the link between vitamin E supplementation in early pregnancy and the risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia, especially in women who conceived through assisted reproductive technology.
They followed 3587 women from the Jiangsu Birth Cohort who conceived through assisted reproductive technology and had pregnancies lasting at least 20 weeks. They collected dietary and supplement information through questionnaires and measured vitamin E related metabolites in blood samples from 1103 women during the first trimester.
What it can’t tell you
- This study followed women over time and can show a link, but it cannot prove that vitamin E supplements cause gestational hypertension or preeclampsia.
- The supplement information was self-reported, which may lead to some misclassification.
- The study only included women who conceived through assisted reproductive technology, so the results may not apply to all pregnancies.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- None.
- Authors work at
- Southeast University, China; Nanjing Medical University, China; The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China
The paper
- Title
- Vitamin E supplementation and increased risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia in women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Yang X, Dou Y, Hu L, et al (2025). Vitamin E supplementation and increased risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia in women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies. Chinese medical journal. doi:10.1097/CM9.0000000000003766Free full textPubMed 40789663DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error