Abstract

Aim: To compare serum calcium status in pregnant women with and without PIH.
Material and method:It was a hospital based prospective observational study conducted
in the department of Obstetric and Gynecology, National Capital Region Institute of
Medical Sciences, Meerut for a period of 12 months. 200 antenatal cases after 20 weeks
pregnancy having age between 18-40 years were divided into 2 types based on BP i.e.
Cases-100 patients of PIH (Pregnancy induced hypertension) and Control- 100
normotensive patients. A detailed family and medical history of all the childbearing
women with gestational age 20 weeks or more admitted with the features of HDP
(hypertension disorder of pregnancy) was recorded followed by a thorough clinical
examination. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure of all the participants was carefully
recorded every four hourly. Serum calcium levels were measured by the O- Cresol
PhthaleinComplexone (OCPC) method.
Results: Mean SBP in case and control group was 152.30±10.45 and 118.20±7.66
respectively. Mean DBP in case and control group was 99.42±7.29 and 75.82±5.21
respectively. Hence SBP and DBP was higher in case group as compared to control
group. According to Pearson correlation analysis, negative significant correlation was
found between BP and serum calcium(mg/dL) i.e. with increase in BP, there is decrease
in serum calcium(mg/dL).
Conclusion:The present study emphasizes the need of monitoring serumcalcium during
antenatal period and appropriatemeasures may reduce the incidence of PIH.In areas
where dietary calcium intake is low,calcium supplementation during pregnancy (atdoses
of 1.5–2.0 g elemental calcium/day) isrecommended for the prevention of PIH in all
women, but especially those athigh risk of developing PIH.