Study of Serum Calcium and Magnesium Levels during Third Trimester of Pregnancy in Bangladesh.

Abstract

Pregnancy is a physiological process of a developing fetus within the maternal body during which women encounter various internal physiological changes. During the third trimester of pregnancy, physiological changes can influence mineral metabolism, particularly calcium and magnesium, leading to altered serum level. This study aimed to assess serum calcium and magnesium level in women during the third trimester of pregnancy and compare them with level observed in healthy non-pregnant controls. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Biochemistry at Mymensingh Medical College, in collaboration with the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh from January 2022 to December 2022. Participants were chosen through purposive, non-random sampling according to defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study included a total of 150 participants, comprising 75 third-trimester pregnant women as the case group and 75 apparently healthy non-pregnant women as the control group. Serum calcium and magnesium concentrations were measured using validated colorimetric methods and are reported as mean±SD. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS version 26.0 for Windows. Student's unpaired t-test was used to assess the statistical significance of differences between the groups. The study found that pregnant women in the third trimester exhibited significantly decreased serum calcium level (8.32±0.66 mg/dl vs. 9.19±0.53 mg/dl, p<0.001) and serum magnesium level (1.64±0.22 mg/dl vs. 1.94±0.17 mg/dl, p<0.001) compared to non-pregnant controls. Monitoring these minerals may play a crucial role in preventing maternal complications and promoting optimal fetal development.