Dietary intake of calcium and magnesium in subjects with pregnancy induced hypertension

Abstract title
Dietary intake of Calcium and Magnesium in subjects with Pregnancy Induced Hypertension
Co-authors
U.S. Munni1, F. Jebunnesa2, K. Islam3, L. Ali4.
1Bangladesh University of Health Sciences BUHS, Department of Reproductive and Child Health, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
2Bangladesh University of Health Sciences BUHS, Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Dhaka 1216, Bangladesh.
3Institute of Nutrition and Food Science- University of Dhaka, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
4Bangladesh University of Health Sciences BUHS, Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Abstract body
Background
Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) is one of the major complications of pregnancy which includes both gestational hypertension (GH) and preeclampsia (PE). Gestational hypertension is characterized by an abnormal rise in blood pressure that usually develops after the 20th week of pregnancy. Preeclampsia is defined as the combination of high blood pressure (hypertension), swelling of the face and hands (oedema), and protein in the urine. Woman with PE, of seizures that cannot be attributed to other causes with potentially life threatening consequences for both mother and child. If the condition progresses to eclampsia, life-threatening convulsions and coma can occur. Inadequate calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) intake is considered a public health problem in some vulnerable groups, especially pregnant women both gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and non GDM. Balanced diet during pregnancy with adequate Ca and Mg should be the ideal solution and to proceed in this direction evidence is required on the nature and extent of Ca and Mg deficiency in the diet of PIH mothers
Aim
The aims of the study was to determine the association between dietary Ca and Mg and pregnancy induced hypertension on adjusting the confounding risk factors like age, BMI, geographic, socioeconomic status, GDM, family history of hypertension etc.
Method
Under an observational Case-control design, we recruited 300 Bangladeshi both GDM and non GDM pregnant women in two groups (150 with and 150 without PIH), aged between 20-40 yrs in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, from three hospitals in Dhaka. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data. The first part of the questionnaire was allocated to general socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Secondly, a 24 hour recall and a food frequency questionnaire method were used to estimate individual dietary Ca and Mg intake.
Results
Results: The dietary Ca intake [(mg/day), Median (Range)] was significantly lower [265(111-487)] in the PIH than in the Non-PIH [350(201-984); (p<0.001)] group. Mg (mg/day), was also found to be significantly lower in the PIH [235(122-391)] than in Non-PIH [309(306-497);(p<0.001)]. On bivariate analysis, the dietary Ca and Mg intakes had significantly negative correlation with mean blood pressure which considered an indicator of the severity of PIH(r=-0.276;p<0.001) and(r=-940;p=021) for Ca and Mg respectively. On regression analysis, PIH was found to be significantly associated with lower intake of Ca (b=-0.009;p<0.001) and Mg (b=-0.016;p<0.001) when the effects of age, family history of HTN, diabetes and family income were adjusted.
Discussion
Dietary consumption of Ca and Mg during pregnancy are much lower than those recommended in our population, PIH seems to have an association with dietary deficiency of Ca and Mg in our pregnant women.

Conflict of Interest
I have no potential conflict of interest to disclose