TITLE:
Serum Magnesium Levels in Second and Third Trimesters of Pregnancy in Patients That Developed Pre-Eclampsia and Feto-Maternal Outcome
AUTHORS:
A. S. Atiba, R. A. Akindele, N. O. Bello, O. O. Kolawole, A. O. Fasanu
KEYWORDS:
Pre-Eclampsia, Serum Magnesium, Pregnancy, Preterm Delivery
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.10 No.1,
January
9,
2020
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Pregnancy is a physiological process that may be complicated by a number
of clinical conditions. Gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia are known
complications in pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia is a disease of hypothesis in which
the pathogenesis is yet to be fully explained. The role of magnesium in the
pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia has been suggested by studies and it is being investigated
all over the world. The study aimed to compare serum magnesium levels in
pre-eclampsia and control groups from second trimester of pregnancy and
assessed maternofetal outcome. Materials and Methods: This was a nested case control study in which consenting three
hundred and sixty (360) normal pregnant women were enrolled. These women were recruited
in their second trimester of pregnancy. Blood samples for serum magnesium
estimation were obtained from subjects and controls at recruitment and after development
of pre-eclampsia. Results: Thirty seven pregnant women that developed
pre-eclampsia were nested as cases and were matched with 37 controls
(apparently healthy pregnant women). The mean serum magnesium at recruitment
was 0.75 ± 0.028 mmol/l (cases) and 0.76 ± 0.036 mmol/l
(controls) (P = 0.123); this became significant when diagnosis of pre-eclampsia were made with
mean of 0.53 ± 0.06 mmol/l (cases) and 0.69 ± 0.08 mmol/l
(controls), (P 0.001). There was significant statistical relationship between preterm
delivery, low birth weight and need for special care baby unit (SCBU) admission
in newborn of mothers with low serum magnesium level (P = 0.001, 0.002 and
0.035 respectively). Conclusion: Findings from this study revealed that hypomagnesaemia appears to be
a complication of pre-eclampsia. Serum levels of magnesium were normal until the
development of the disease. Serum level of this biomarker affects maternofetal outcome significantly.