Course of maternal serum magnesium levels in low-risk gestations and in preterm labor and delivery

Objectives: To describe the course of total and ionized magnesium and total calcium levels in maternal serum during low-risk pregnancies and to compar e women who developed preterm labor and delivery with those who delivered a t term, Methods: 209 women with low-risk pregnancies were enrolled in a pro spective trial before the 18th week of gestation, No woman received oral ma gnesium supplementation. The ionized and total magnesium and total calcium levels in maternal serum were measured every 4-6 weeks, The data were group ed into 3 gestational periods (less than or equal to 18, 19-27 and greater than or equal to 28 weeks of gestation) for overall comparison and analyzed with the general linear model for repeated measurements and ANOVA, p value s of < 0.05 were considered statistically significant, Results: 145 gestati ons were available for analysis, 27 women were hospitalized for preterm lab or and in 16 of these preterm delivery occurred, lonized and total magnesiu m and calcium levels were significantly lower after the 18th week of gestat ion than before, The cation levels in women with preterm labor and delivery did not differ from those with term delivery, Conclusion: lonized and tota l magnesium and calcium levels decrease with increasing gestational age, Pr eterm labor and delivery do not seem to be related to changes in serum cati on levels, Copyright (C) 1999 S. Karger AG, Basel.