Serum calcium and protein levels in pregnant African and Caucasian women.
Serum calcium and protein concentrations were determined for 243 pregnant urban African and 150 Caucasian women covering the three trimesters of pregnancy. It was shown that the serum protein content of the pregnant African was consistently lower than that of her Caucasian counterpart, probably as a result of environmental and nutritional factors. On the other hand, there appeared to be little difference in the serum calcium concentration of both groups up to the end of the second trimester; thereafter, the serum calcium of the pregnant African began to increase significantly above that of the Caucasian up to term (without hypercalcaemia), whereas the Caucasian calcium concentration remained virtually unchanged. It is therefore concluded that this phenomenon is a compensatory mechanism through which the increasing need of the foetus for calcium was adequately satisfied by mobilization of calcium from its depot.
D044383:Black People; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D044465:White People
D001798:Blood Proteins; D002118:Calcium