ABSTRACT
To study the changes during normal pregnancy and in preeclampsia, serum calcium concentration was measured in 26 apparently healthy pregnant Myanmar women and in 15 preeclamptic patients. They were 20-40 years of age. In healthy pregnant women, serum total calcium levels measured at 24th week, 28th week, 32nd week and 36th week of gestation were 2.45 + or - 0.30 mmol/1, 2.47 + or - 0.29 mmol/1, 2.41 + or - 0.29 mmol/1 and 2.46 + or - 0.29 mmol/1 respectively and ionized calcium levels at these periods were 1.24 + or - 0.15 mmol/1, 1.23 + or - 0.14 mmol/1, and 1.20 + or - 0.16 mmol/1 respectively. In preeclamptic patients, the mean serum total calcium level (2.26 + or - 0.24 mmol/1) was significantly lower than that (2.52 + or - 0.23 mmol/1) of 0.27 mmol/1) and ionized calcium level (1.23 + or - 0.14 mmol/1) of preeclamptic patients were not significantly different from those (2.43 + or - 0.24 mmol/1 and 1.24 + or - 0.13 mmol/1 respectively) of control.