Publication:

The correlation between maternal hypomagnesemia and preterm labour

Background Preterm birth is defined as all births before 37 weeks completed, which is a major cause of neonatal death and significant cause of long term loss of human potential amongst survivors. The objective of this study was to verify the correlation between low maternal serum magnesium level and preterm delivery.

Methods one hundred patients who admitted into the labour room of the hospital due to preterm labour (28-36+6 weeks of gestation) whose etiology could not be explained by etiological factors were enrolled in this prospective case-control study during the period from June 2013 to June 2014. And another 80 women of comparable gestational age who were referred to the consultation clinic of our hospital for achieving prenatal care or for causes other than preterm labour, provided only those whose birth occurred after 37th week considered as a control group. Serum magnesium level was measured in both groups.

Results Women in preterm labour had a significantly reduced serum magnesium level (mean1.552 mg/dl with a S.D. of 0.658 versus 1.81 mg/dl with a SD of 0.735) for those delivered at term (p<0.032). Number of patients with Preterm labour who gave of history of muscle cramps were significantly greater than those delivered at term (p<0.00193). Percentage of patients with preterm labour belonging to low socio-economic class was significantly higher than the upper and middle socio-economic classes (p<0.041).

Conclusions Serum magnesium level can be used as a predicting tool for idiopathic preterm labour.