title: Maternal plasma concentrations of magnesium, calcium, zinc and copper in normal and pathological pregnancies.
abstract: In this study, plasma levels of magnesium, calcium, zinc and copper were simultaneously determined in pregnancies complicated by either abortion, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), diabetes or EPH (edema, proteinuria, hypertension) gestosis. The levels of the four cations in non-pregnant women and in healthy, pregnant women were also determined. Compared with controls, a significant decrease in magnesium, with increase of the Ca/Mg ratio, was found in spontaneous abortions, but not when patients had a successful continuation of pregnancy. In EPH gestosis, total calcium was reduced, with a significant decrease of the plasma Ca/Mg ratio. A slight, but significant, increase in plasma zinc was observed in women affected by either diabetes or IUGR, probably as a result of reduced zinc uptake by the fetus. In addition, higher copper levels were found in the pathologies studied, with the exception of missed abortions. The possible role of an altered Ca/Mg ratio homeostasis in relation to gestational pathologies is discussed.
authors: Istituto di Igiene, Universita' degli Studi di Modena, Italy.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Borella
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Szilagyi
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Than
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Csaba
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Giardino
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Facchinetti
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood*; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000097:blood; D012016:Reference Values; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D008274:Magnesium; D015032:Zinc; D002118:Calcium