DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2020.v08i02.052

Pages: 649-655

Pre-eclampsia is one of the commonest causes of maternofoetal morbidity and mortality, it complicates 3-10% of pregnancy. The plasma levels of some biochemical parameters have been implicated in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia. The study aimed to compare plasma calcium levels in pre-eclampsia and control groups and assessed materno-foetal outcome. This was a nested case control study. Consecutively, consenting pregnant women were enrolled at gestational age of 18-22 weeks. They were followed up to observe those that will develop pre-eclampsia. Venous blood samples for plasma calcium estimation were obtained from subjects at recruitment and after developing pre-eclampsia. Four hundred and eighty-six (486) pregnant women were recruited out of which thirty seven patients (37) developed pre-eclampsia as cases and were matched with 37 apparently healthy controls. The mean plasma calcium was significantly lower in cases 1.72mmo/l (standard deviation (SD) 0.45) than control 2.08mmol/l (SD 0.39) at recruitment (P<0.001). A further reduction was recorded at diagnosis with values of 1.62mmol/l (SD 0.33) for cases and 1.99mmol/l (SD 0.18) for controls (P<0.001). There was significant statistical relationship between plasma calcium level at recruitment and degree of systolic hypertension, leg cramp in pregnancy and preterm delivery (P = 0.038, 0.02, and 0.007 respectively) as well as between plasma calcium level at diagnosis and preterm delivery (P = 0.024). In conclusion this study shows that hypocalcaemia predated pre-eclampsia and may be used to predict the development of the disease and possibility of preterm delivery.