Prevalence of hypocalcemia in asymptomatic pregnant females in Upper Egypt

Abstract

: The goal of this study is to investigate the levels of serum calcium in asymptomatic pregnant women and measuring the prevalence of hypocalcaemia. Healthy pregnant women (n=500) were enrolled consecutively, with singleton pregnancy, in first trimester with the mean gestational age (9.5 ±1) weeks of gestation. Serum Total and Ionized calcium were measured to all women in the study. The prevalence of hypocalcaemia was measured. Nearly two thirds of women (337) had hypocalcaemia (67.4%), Only 163 had normal calcium levels" serum calcium level of 8.6 mg/dL or above". The prevalence of hypocalcaemia was more in young aged women as about two-thirds (64.8%) were in the age group 20 to less than 30 years, with mean age 23.9 ±4.6 years. Also the prevalence of hypocalcaemia was high in parity less than 2, with statistically significant p-value (0.034). No determinants (education, dietary intake of Ca +2 , weight, height, BMI, and Hb levels) found in our study to be in correlation with the high incidence of hypocalcaemia.