Journal of Nutritional Disorders & Therapy

Abstract

Role of Calcium in Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Current Status of Research a Mini Review

Shakuntala Chhabra

Introduction: Some studies have revealed changes in blood/urinary calcium with inverse relationship between calcium intakes during pregnancy, incidence of preeclampsia. So researchers believe that calcium has a role in etiology of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. With reduced incidence of preeclampsia after calcium supplementation. So prevention of HDsP and/or their severity are being attempted through oral calcium. Objective: To collect existing information about role of calcium in HDsP for translational program or if needed, research. Material Methods: Present article is based on literature search by available search engines like, Pubmed, Google, Update and others. Studies, reviews and short commentaries were looked into to get desired information. Serum urinary cellular calcium: Normally there is increase in intracellular calcium in pregnancy. It has been reported that this effect is exaggerated in preeclampsia due to significant increase in the membranous calcium content. Researchers also reported that preeclampsia in third trimester was associated with hypocalciuria due to increased tubular reabsorption of calcium. Urinary calcium excretion has been found to be reduced in severe preeclampsia, eclampsia, but decrease could not be used to identify severity of preeclampsia, or predict impending eclampsia. Problem seems to be at the cellular level, needs to be investigated further. Calcium supplementation: Some have reported incidence of preeclampsia greater in women given placebo, compared to calcium-treated, although difference was not significant. Also supplementing calcium in women at high risk of pre-eclampsia was likely to reduce incidence of disease. But others reported that extra calcium did not reduce number of women who suffered, however reduced severity of HDsP. Also smooth-muscle relaxation detected in calcium supplemented women might affect labour onset. Conclusion: There are reports of positive relationship and no effect on reduction in HDsP or their severity. In view of contradictory findings, in depth studies are required to investigate altered serum, urine and cellular calcium, in women with HDsP.