[Behavior of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium in rats subjected to malnutrition in different stages of the gestational period]. / Comportamento do cálcio, fósforo e magnésio em ratas submetidas á desnutrição durante varias etapas no período gestacional.

An attempt was made to point out the alterations in serum calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, during gestation in female rats fed ad libitum normal diets (protein content, 21%), a protein-calorie deficient diet (protein content, 1%) in a quantity equal to half of that given to normal rats. As the data revealed, in the control group of pregnant rats a significant increase in calcium on the 17th and 19th days was observed, as well as a decrease at the end of gestation. The values remained at higher levels in this group than those detected in the control non-pregnant rats. The above-mentioned increase was not observed in the undernourished pregnant rats, which showed an evident decrease. The behavior of phosphorus in the control pregnant rats was similar to calcium behavior, but this "ion" had not suffered the influence of malnutrition when isolatedly imposed. With regard to magnesium, we noticed that throughout the experiment serum concentration was not influenced either by malnutrition or by gestation. Malnutrition itself was the greatest responsible factor as judged by the differences observed among the groups.