Background: Oxidative stress plays a role in the aetiology of
pre-eclampsia and vitamin C may prevent pre-eclampsia. Objective: To
determine the association between plasma vitamin C and pre-eclampsia in
Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda. Methods: This case-control study
was conducted at Mulago Hospital from 1st May 2008 to 1st May 2009; 207
women were the cases and 352 women were the controls. Plasma vitamin C
was assayed in the women using a colorimetric method. An independent t
test was used to find the difference in the means of plasma vitamin C
and logistic regression was used to find the association between plasma
vitamin C and pre-eclampsia. Results: The mean plasma vitamin C was
1.7(SD=0.7) x 103 μg/L in women with pre-eclampsia and 1.9(SD=0.7)
x 103 μg/ L in women with normal pregnancy (P=0.005). Women with
low plasma vitamin C were at an increased risk of pre-eclampsia (OR
2.91, 95% CI: 1.56-5.44). Conclusion: There was a strong association
between low plasma vitamin C, and pre-eclampsia in women attending
antenatal clinics at Mulago Hospital, Kampala. Health workers need to
advise women at risk in the antenatal period about diet, especially
foods which are rich in vitamin C to probably reduce pre-eclampsia