ABSTRACT
Many researchers report that the measurement of urine calcium concentration during antenatal period is helpful in prediction of having preeclampsia,but some don`t. The purpose of this clinical study is to evaluate the relationship of low calcium level in urine and the develpoment of preeclampsia, and effects of other variables. 24hour urine were collected and measured for the concentration of calcium and creatinine from 769 pregnant women who visited our department of obstetrics at Young-Dong Severeance hospital, Yonsei university medical college for antenatal care from March 1, 1993 to May 31, 1996. One group of 41 women developed preeclampsia and the other didn`t. There were no diffrences in ages and gestational age at urine collection between two groups, but a group with preeclampsia had an increased mean arterial blood pressure. There were signiificant difference in calcium concentration in urine and ratios of concentration of calcium and creatinine from urine collected between gestational ages of 25 weeks and 32 weeks and also in those women younger than 25 years old and their first pregnancy. Our study suggests that the measure ment of calcium level and ratios of urine calcium concentration and creatinine concentration at gestational ages between 25 weeks and 32 weeks in women younger than 25 year old with their first pregnancy is quite helpful inpredicting the develpoment of preeclampsia.