Science Letters

Hypocalcemia and Pregnancy-Associated Pre-eclampsia: A Dubitable Relationship

Nora Rashed Yousef, Lizhou Sun*, Reeti K. C. Lamichhane

Department of Obstetrics, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital affiliated with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210004, China

Abstract

Pre-eclampsia is a multisystem disorder traditionally characterized by a combination of hypertension, a probable presence of urinary protein, along with other symptoms. It is defined as a blood pressure of >140 mmHg (systolic) and/or >90 mmHg (diastolic) on two occasions with an interval of at least 4-6 hours with or without proteinuria after twenty weeks of gestation. It is found to exclusively affect 3-5% of pregnant women worldwide, particularly those belonging to poor or developing countries and who seemingly possess a greater tendency to suffer from this disorder. Among the leading principal causes of materno-fetal morbidity and mortality along with preterm delivery, untreated pre-eclampsia is recognized as one of them. Since no specific cure for pre-eclampsia has been discovered, preventive measures are followed which include administering low-dose aspirin, calcium, magnesium sulphate, along with changes in lifestyle and diet. There is certain evidence that shows various elements and minerals, such as calcium among many others, may play a crucial part in the prognosis of pre-eclampsia. This review describes the relationship between hypocalcemia and pregnancy-associated pre-eclampsia, according to the results reported worldwide.

Keywords Calcium, hypertension, pre-eclampsia, pregnant women, preterm delivery, supplementation.

Received June 14, 2016 Accepted August 15, 2016 Abstract Published September 05, 2016 Manuscript Published December 15, 2016

*Corresponding author Lizhou Sun E-mail lizhou_sun121@sina.com Tel +86-25-52226777 Fax +86-25-84460507