What tests should pregnant women take to check for calcium deficiency?

For the special group of pregnant women, it is necessary to supplement a lot of nutrients, which is not only helpful for the physical health of pregnant women, but also has many benefits for the development of the fetus. Among the trace elements that pregnant women need to supplement, calcium is particularly important. When calcium deficiency occurs, symptoms such as poor sleep, feeling very tired and emotional instability will occur. If pregnant women do not know whether they need calcium supplements, they can do relevant examinations and then decide whether to supplement calcium.

Ultrasound bone density test for pregnant women

Pregnant women should measure their bone density once at the third and sixth months of pregnancy so that they can supplement calcium in time.

1. Pregnant and lactating women are special groups who need to undergo bone density testing. Ultrasonic bone density testing has no effect on pregnant women and fetuses, so it can be used to observe the dynamic changes of bone minerals during pregnancy and lactation in multiple segments.

2. The bone calcium reserves of women before and during pregnancy (too high or too low) are crucial to the healthy development of the fetus. Bone density testing can help you understand the bone condition during pregnancy, take good care of yourself during pregnancy, and prevent pregnancy complications (osteoporosis and pregnancy-induced hypertension). Since there are widespread nutritional problems among adults in my country, it is very important to have regular check-ups and receive correct guidance.

3. Bone calcium is lost faster during lactation. If the bone density is low at this time, it may lead to a decrease in bone calcium in the nursing mother and the baby.

The bone densitometer will automatically calculate the T value and Z value data based on the patient's information. The T value is obtained by comparing the bone mineral density (BMD) obtained from the examination with the BMD of normal young people to obtain the standard deviation (SD) number that is higher (+) or lower (-) than that of young people. It is the most meaningful value for diagnosing osteoporosis. The Z value is the value obtained by comparing the BMD measured by the examination with the BMD of normal people of the same age. Although the Z score is not very meaningful for diagnosing osteoporosis, it can reflect the severity of osteoporosis.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has set the following four indicators based on the standard deviation (SD) between the measurement results of bone mineral density levels (BMD) and the data of healthy young people.

Normal: Bone density is within 1SD of the average value of young people (+1 to -1SD)

Low bone density: Bone density is 1 to 2.5SD lower than the average value of young people (-1 to -2.5SD)

Osteoporosis: Bone density is 2.5SD below the average for young people (below -2.5SD)

Severe osteoporosis: Bone density is 2.5SD lower than the mean value of young people, accompanied by one or more osteoporotic fractures.

In general, every one standard deviation decrease in bone density, regardless of how it is measured and where it is measured, indicates an approximately 50% increase in the risk of future osteoporotic fractures. However, bone density measured at a specific site is better at predicting the risk of future fractures at that site than when measured at other sites. Therefore, a wiser choice is to test bone density in areas where bone pain occurs more frequently, or to regularly check bone density in areas where bone loss has been measured.

If you have symptoms suspected of osteoporosis, you should go to the hospital in time for a bone density test and regular follow-up to determine whether bone loss has occurred, so as to detect and treat it early.

(ii) Blood calcium test during pregnancy

Purpose:

To understand the dynamic level of blood calcium in pregnant women during pregnancy, and to explore the impact of hypocalcemia on the incidence of gestational hypertension and the preventive effect of calcium supplementation.

method:

The blood calcium levels of 271 pregnant women were measured after >16 weeks, 16 weeks, 21 weeks, 26 weeks, 31 weeks and 35 weeks of gestation. The women were divided into groups based on the blood calcium values ​​at 16 weeks of gestation to observe the relationship between blood calcium levels and the incidence of gestational hypertension. A randomized controlled calcium supplementation trial was conducted on those with low calcium (<2.0mmol/L).

result:

Maternal blood calcium levels decreased in early pregnancy, and there was a significant difference compared with non-pregnant women at 16 weeks of pregnancy, and remained at a low level until delivery; the incidence of gestational hypertension was higher in pregnant women with hypocalcemia, and the incidence was significantly reduced after calcium supplementation (P<0.05).

in conclusion

Maternal blood calcium levels decrease during pregnancy. Hypocalcemia may be one of the causes of gestational hypertension. Calcium supplementation for pregnant women with hypocalcemia can reduce the incidence of gestational hypertension.