letter to the editor
news day
Editor: The recent and unusual number of neonatal deaths at Port of Spain General Hospital has caused great concern and sadness to the public and we extend our deepest sympathies to the families affected.
I’ve reported in the past on how vitamin C reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes, colds, and other illnesses, and generally promotes good health. This is consistent with the fact that nutrients are the basis for the proper functioning of the human body. Can vitamin C help alleviate these birth problems? The answer, of course, is yes.
Back in 1971, in an article published in the Journal of Applied Nutrition, Fred K. Klenner, MD, a highly successful American physician, wrote about his experience treating and caring for pregnant women using vitamin C. I have written.
“After observing more than 300 consecutive obstetric cases in which oral supplements (vitamin C) were used, I am convinced that failure to use this agent in sufficient amounts during pregnancy is tantamount to medical malpractice,” he wrote.
He suggested using 4 grams in the first trimester, 6 grams in the second trimester, and 8 to 10 grams with some variation in the third trimester.
He says, “It’s much easier to maintain my hemoglobin levels. I had less than 3% leg cramps. Labor was shorter and less painful. I had no postpartum hemorrhage (bleeding after giving birth). There were no toxic symptoms in this series, even though 22 patients in this series had rheumatic heart disease.
She reported that the infants born on this high-dose vitamin C therapy were “all strong,” with no miscarriages and few stretch marks across the group of 300 women. He said, “All the babies in this series were called vitamin C babies by the nursing staff. They were clearly different.”
Since the publication of Dr. Klenner’s report, studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of vitamin C, including reducing premature rupture of the amniotic sac, one of the most common problems in obstetrics that can lead to premature birth and serious infections. Many studies have been conducted. .
(See https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(23)11974-5/pdf)
Renowned author Dr. Andrew W. Saul wrote in 2014 that “vitamin C protects mothers and babies,” and it can also help with pregnancy by increasing sperm production in men. So why hasn’t this nutrient been more actively promoted in pregnancy management?
Dr. Andreas Pappas details what he calls “the folic acid story” in his book titled “The Vitamin E Factor.” Folic acid is a B vitamin that is important in preventing neural tube defects in newborns. Dr. Pappas said it has been nearly 50 years since scientists suspected a link between folic acid deficiency in pregnant women and birth defects, and since the medical community accepted the use of folic acid just before the turn of the century. Its use by pregnant mothers has now become routine.
Although due diligence should always be taken when it comes to human health, with overwhelming scientific data supporting the effectiveness of folic acid, it may not take long to use the nutrient folic acid in pregnancy management. There shouldn’t have been. Pharmaceuticals, unlike nutrients, are foreign to the human body and come with many side effects, but they are often approved for medical use in a significantly shorter period of time.
Fifty years have already passed since Dr. Klenner’s groundbreaking clinical research. I therefore encourage the Ministry of Health to investigate the published scientific data on vitamin C and pregnancy. Perhaps we too can give birth to a “vitamin C baby” here in TT.
stefan gifts
Honorary professor
