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Evaluation of Serum Calcium Level in Pregnant Normotensive and Pre-eclamptic/Eclamptic Women in Nnewi, Nigeria: A Case Control Study

Background: Pre-eclampsia/Eclampsia is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide and especially in the developing countries, and its etiology has been uncertain. Alteration in calcium metabolism has been implicated. Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the serum calcium levels in pregnant normotensive with pre-eclamptic/eclamptic women. Study Design: A case control study. Methodology: The following data was obtained from patients that met the inclusion criteria: age, parity and gestational age. Estimation of the serum calcium was done with a spectrophotometer. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16. Frequency tables, student t tests and chi-square test were used where applicable. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The Pre-eclamptics/Eclamptics had a lower mean serum calcium level than their normotensive counterpart (1.91± 0.28mmol/L Vs 2.32± 0.21mmol, p-value= 0.02). There was no significant difference between the mean serum calcium level in the patients with Pre-eclampsia and those with eclampsia (1.89+0.29mmol/L Vs. 1.94+0.28mmol/L, P-value=0.51). There was no difference in the serum calcium levels between the two during the 2nd trimester, but there was a significant difference during the 3rd trimester. Conclusion: There was an association between lower serum calcium level and Pre-eclampsia/Eclampsia in our environment; this is more obvious during the third trimester of pregnancy. Therefore, there is need for calcium supplement, especially among those that are calcium deficient, during pregnancy in our environment to prevent pre-eclampsia.