Extracellular and intracellular magnesium depletion in pregnancy and gestational diabetes

• Published in: American journal of obstetrics and gynecology Vol. 172; no. 3; pp. 1009 - 1013
• Main Authors: Bardicef, Mordechai, Bardicef, Orit, Sorokin, Yoram, Altura, Burton M., Altura, Bella T., Cotton, David B., Resnick, Lawrence M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Mosby, Inc 01.03.1995; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Diabetes, Gestational - blood; Diabetes, Gestational - metabolism; Erythrocytes - chemistry; Erythrocytes - metabolism; Female; gestational diabetes; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Intracellular Fluid - chemistry; Intracellular Fluid - metabolism; ion-specific electrodes; Magnesium - blood; Magnesium - metabolism; Management. Prenatal diagnosis; Medical sciences; Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; pregnancy; Pregnancy - blood; Pregnancy - metabolism; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; magnesium metabolism; ion-specific electrodes; gestational diabetes; pregnancy; Endocrinopathy; Human; Pregnancy disorders; Calcium; Diabetes mellitus; Extracellular; Blood plasma; Assay; Pregnancy; Prenatal; Diagnosis; Intracellular; Magnesium
• ISSN: 0002-9378; 1097-6868
• DOI: 10.1016/0002-9378(95)90035-7

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate a possible ionic basis linking pregnancy and gestational diabetes with the vascular disorders associated with them. STUDY DESIGN: We used phosphorus 31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and magnesium- and calcium-specific ion electrodes to measure erythrocyte intracellular free magnesium, plasma ionized magnesium, and ionized calcium in fasting nonpregnant ( n = 26), normal pregnant ( n = 20), and diet-controlled (class A1) gestational diabetic women ( n = 13). RESULTS: Compared with nonpregnant controls (total magnesium 0.91 ± 0.07 mmol/L, ionized magnesium 0.51 ± 0.03 mmol/L), total and ionized magnesium 0.46 ± 0.02 mmol/L, significance < 0.0001) and gestational diabetic (total magnesium 0.74 ± 0.05 mmol/L, ionized magnesium 0.46 ± 0.02 mmol/L, significnce < 0.0001) subjects. Gestational diabetic women had significantly lower intracellular free magnesium values compared with nonpregnant and normal pregnant individuals (140 ± 20 μmol/L vs 169 ± 27 μmol/L, significance = 0.007). Ionized calcium values were similar in all groups, resulting in significant elevation (significance < 0.0001) of ionized calcium/ionized magnesium ratios in both pregnant groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the presence of magnesium depletion in pregnancy itself and to a greater extent in gestational diabetes. We suggest that magnesium depletion, or relative calcium excess, may predispose to vascular complications of pregnancy.