Serum calcium and magnesium in preeclampsia: A comparative study

Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy linked to endothelial dysfunction and electrolyte imbalance. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate serum calcium and magnesium levels in 100 preeclamptic and 100 normotensive pregnant women beyond 28 weeks gestation at a tertiary hospital in Central India. Spectrophotometric analysis showed significantly lower calcium (7.84 ±0.74 mg/dL vs. 9.68 ±0.97 mg/dL; p<0.001) and magnesium levels (1.74 ±0.54 mg/dL vs. 1.88 ±0.76 mg/dL; p=0.040) in preeclamptic women. Adverse outcomes such as preterm birth, cesarean delivery, and NICU admissions were more frequent in the preeclampsia group. These findings suggest the utility of calcium and magnesium screening in antenatal care for early risk stratification and potential prevention of complications.