A randomised controlled trial of consumption of dark chocolate in pregnancy to reduce pre-eclampsia: Difficulties in recruitment, allocation and adherence

Subashini Gnanendran; Jemma Porrett; Cindy Woods; Maryke Buttrose; Clare Jukka; Jane Hollins; Stephen Robson; Caroline de Costa

doi:10.1111/ajo.12694

A randomised controlled trial of consumption of dark chocolate in pregnancy to reduce pre-eclampsia: Difficulties in recruitment, allocation and adherence

Subashini Gnanendran^*, Jemma Porrett, Cindy Woods, Maryke Buttrose, Clare Jukka, Jane Hollins, Stephen Robson, Caroline de Costa

^*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

In 2013–2014 we undertook a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to determine whether the daily ingestion of dark chocolate during pregnancy could reduce the incidence of pre-eclampsia in primigravidae. However, after two years we had not succeeded in recruiting more than 3.5% of the number of participants required to answer the research question, and the trial was halted. We also reviewed the literature on this topic and found it to be limited. We report here our findings and discuss the difficulties facing researchers in this area.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	358-361
Number of pages	4
Journal	Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Volume	58
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/ajo.12694
Publication status	Published - Jun 2018

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10.1111/ajo.12694

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Gnanendran, S., Porrett, J., Woods, C., Buttrose, M., Jukka, C., Hollins, J., Robson, S., & de Costa, C. (2018). A randomised controlled trial of consumption of dark chocolate in pregnancy to reduce pre-eclampsia: Difficulties in recruitment, allocation and adherence. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 58(3), 358-361. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajo.12694

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title = "A randomised controlled trial of consumption of dark chocolate in pregnancy to reduce pre-eclampsia: Difficulties in recruitment, allocation and adherence",

abstract = "In 2013–2014 we undertook a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to determine whether the daily ingestion of dark chocolate during pregnancy could reduce the incidence of pre-eclampsia in primigravidae. However, after two years we had not succeeded in recruiting more than 3.5% of the number of participants required to answer the research question, and the trial was halted. We also reviewed the literature on this topic and found it to be limited. We report here our findings and discuss the difficulties facing researchers in this area.",

keywords = "dark chocolate, dark chocolate in pregnancy, flavonoid rich dark chocolate, pre-eclampsia",

author = "Subashini Gnanendran and Jemma Porrett and Cindy Woods and Maryke Buttrose and Clare Jukka and Jane Hollins and Stephen Robson and {de Costa}, Caroline",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists",

year = "2018",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1111/ajo.12694",

language = "English",

volume = "58",

pages = "358--361",

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Gnanendran, S, Porrett, J, Woods, C, Buttrose, M, Jukka, C, Hollins, J, Robson, S & de Costa, C 2018, 'A randomised controlled trial of consumption of dark chocolate in pregnancy to reduce pre-eclampsia: Difficulties in recruitment, allocation and adherence', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, vol. 58, no. 3, pp. 358-361. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajo.12694

A randomised controlled trial of consumption of dark chocolate in pregnancy to reduce pre-eclampsia: Difficulties in recruitment, allocation and adherence. / Gnanendran, Subashini; Porrett, Jemma; Woods, Cindy et al.
In: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Vol. 58, No. 3, 06.2018, p. 358-361.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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T1 - A randomised controlled trial of consumption of dark chocolate in pregnancy to reduce pre-eclampsia

T2 - Difficulties in recruitment, allocation and adherence

AU - Gnanendran, Subashini

AU - Porrett, Jemma

AU - Woods, Cindy

AU - Buttrose, Maryke

AU - Jukka, Clare

AU - Hollins, Jane

AU - Robson, Stephen

AU - de Costa, Caroline

PY - 2018/6

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AB - In 2013–2014 we undertook a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to determine whether the daily ingestion of dark chocolate during pregnancy could reduce the incidence of pre-eclampsia in primigravidae. However, after two years we had not succeeded in recruiting more than 3.5% of the number of participants required to answer the research question, and the trial was halted. We also reviewed the literature on this topic and found it to be limited. We report here our findings and discuss the difficulties facing researchers in this area.

KW - dark chocolate

KW - dark chocolate in pregnancy

KW - flavonoid rich dark chocolate

KW - pre-eclampsia

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DO - 10.1111/ajo.12694

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JO - Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

JF - Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

IS - 3

ER -

A randomised controlled trial of consumption of dark chocolate in pregnancy to reduce pre-eclampsia: Difficulties in recruitment, allocation and adherence

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