Hypocalcemia in pregnant women.

The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of hypocalcemia and its correlation with dietary intake of calcium (DICa) and urinary calcium excretion (UCaE) in pregnant women. Healthy pregnant women (n = 543) were enrolled consecutively. DICa was calculated form dietary history. Serum calcium (SCa) and 24-h UCaE was measured. Student t test and Chi-square tests were used to compare the continuous and categorical data in women with and without hypocalcemia (SCa <or= 8.7 mg/dL). Linear regression was applied for determining the independent variables for hypocalcemia. The age and gestation (mean +/- SD) were 21.9 +/- 2.5 years and 18.0 +/- 3.5 weeks, respectively. The body mass index (BMI; mean +/- SD) was 23.3 +/- 3.9 kg/m(2). Seventy-one percent women had an education of less than 10 years. The DICa and SCa were 325 +/- 198 mg and 8.1 +/- 1.5 mg/dL, respectively. The prevalence of hypocalcemia was 66.4% (362/545); all being asymptomatic. There was no significant difference in women with and without hypocalcemia in terms of weight, BMI, monthly family income, DICa, UCaE, and their obstetric outcome. Daily dietary calcium intake was less than the recommended dietary allowances. There was a high prevalence of asymptomatic hypocalcemia in pregnant women of low socio-economic status which was unrelated to their overall nutritional status and daily calcium intake. It did not have any adverse effect on the immediate pregnancy outcome.