Study of Serum Magnesium Levels in Preterm Labour

Abstract

INTRODUCTION- Magnesium plays an important role in the physiology of parturition. Decrease of Magnesium in plasma may be responsible for decrease of the same in myometrium and this might have a considerable influence on the preterm labour. A Hypomagnesaemia lead to neuromuscular irritability leading to uterine hyperactivity which leads to cervical dilatation .Normal range of Magnesium in pregnant women is 1.8 to 4mg/dl.

METHODS- t's a prospective case control study conducted in Government hospital, Mangalore from December 2012 to August 2014 after approval from IEC. Blood was collected from patients with established preterm labour

RESULTS- The serum Magnesium level of preterm patients ranged from 0.9mg/dl to 3.00m/dl with mean Magnesium level of 1.47±0.49 S.D. In normal pregnant women it ranged from 1.2 to 3.8mg/dl with a mean Magnesium level of 2.81±0.52 S.D (P<0.000) which was highly significant. The difference of serum Magnesium levels observed between the study population and control population is independent of factors like maternal age, parity, gestational age.

CONCLUSION- Preterm labour is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Prevention has to be considered at this moment. Cases can be avoided by simple supplementation of Magnesium. Dietary supplementation of Magnesium might provide an easy and inexpensive means to decrease the problems related to preterm labour.