Hypomagnesaemia and pregnancy

Abstract

Hypomagnesaemia is common in pregnancy, particularly in developing countries and low-income communities. Despite the frequent therapeutic use of magnesium in pregnancy, and the evidence regarding the association of hypomagnesaemia with adverse pregnancy outcomes in animal studies, it remains unclear whether hypomagnesaemia is associated with complications in human pregnancy. Three case reports of pregnancies complicated by moderate-severe hypomagnesaemia are presented and magnesium physiology in pregnancy is discussed. The evidence as to whether hypomagnesaemia may represent a direct cause, a consequence of other disease processes or an epiphenomenon in adverse pregnancies outcomes is reviewed.

Keywords: Gitelman syndrome; Hypomagnesaemia; adverse pregnancy outcomes; diabetes mellitus; hypertensive disorders of pregnancy; jejunoileal bypass; physiology; premature labour; small for gestational age.