Lubna Farooqi, Zulfiqar Ali, Afsheen Akbar, Imran Ali.
Prevalence of Hypocalcemia and its Association among Pregnant and Lactating Mothers.
Pak J Med Health Sci Jan ;12(2):446-8.

Background: The aim of the study is to estimate incidence of Hypocalcemia (decreased in serum calcium level) in pregnancy and lactation despite the fact that supplementation with calcium is not practice in Pakistan. A finding of a comparatively large number of subjects seen with Hypocalcemia in pregnancy and subsequent births insist proceedings to determine the long term hazards their factor and further relationships. Aim: To calculate the occurrence and recognize the incidence of Hypocalcemia along with females who presented in OPD clinic with complains of repeated bouts of Tetany (Carpopedal spasm) during their pregnancies and lactation period. Methods: The overall number of pregnant females (n=400) compared with lactating females (n=400) present along with sign and symptoms of hypocalcemia were recorded, serum calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, and parathyroid hormone, analysis were done using standard laboratory techniques. Statistical analysis was done by using appropriate new version of SPSS software. Results: There were 118 out of 400 pregnant having sign and symptoms of Carpopedal spasm showing a frequency of 29.5% were as lactating females having 103 out of 400 indicating frequency of 25.75%. The standard age criterion was 32 years +- 2.3 years and parity of 6.2+-1.2. The mean calcium levels in serum were 6mg/dl +- 0.4mg/dl in pregnant subjects where as during lactation period females having serum calcium level were 6.4mg/dl+- 0.3mg/dl. Conclusion: The predominance of decreased in serum calcium level were elevated in pregnant women’s as compare with those were lactating. Elevated ratio of pregnancies raises the risk factor during pregnancy along with Hypocalcemia here were commend with the intention of decrease the risk factor to reduce mortality, diet modification along with calcium supplementation must be suggested to women’s during antenatal checkups

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