Clinics in Mother and Child Health

Abstract

Frequency of Neonatal Hypocalcaemia and Its Correlation with Risk Factors

Ines Bošnjak and Marjana Jerković Raguž

Aim: To determine the frequency of hypocalcaemia in newborns treated at the Neonatology Department of the Children's Disease of the University Clinical Hospital in Mostar and to examine the correlation with certain risk factors of the mother and the newborn

Examinees and methods: The study included 98 newborns treated at the Department of Neonatology and Intensive Treatment of newborns of the Children's Diseases of the University Clinical Hospital in Mostar in one year period (2016). The parameters of newborns (gender, birth weight, gestational age, the age of the newborn at the time of occurrence of hypocalcaemia, lowest serum calcium levels, IUGR, pathological conditions: asphyxia, jaundice, sepsis, perinatal infection, RDS, urinary tract infection, other mineral dysbalances (Mg, Na, Glucose), and mother (age, type of birth, medication, illness: hypertension, diabetes, infection before delivery) were observed.

Result: Out of a total of 272 newborns treated at the Neonatology Department, hypocalcaemia was found in 98 subjects (36%), while the incidence of hypocalcaemia in 1831 live-born infants in 2016 was 18.6%.

The most significant and the most frequent risk factors of mothers include parity, age, type of birth and use of medication, especially antibiotics, during pregnancy. Pregnant women with first delivery, aged between 28 and 39, who have given birth naturally and who used the medicines during pregnancy are the most prone of giving birth to newborns with hypocalcaemia.

Gender, gestational age, and birth weight of newborns have been shown to be significant and common risk factors for the development of hypocalcaemia. Male term newborns weighing between 2501 and 3500 g have the greatest predisposition to develop this condition. There were more premature infants in relation to the term infants, however, newborns were observed through two gestational groups, so it was not highlighted on whole sample. Among the subjects, there were more newborns with early hypocalcaemia diagnosis than the late ones. The most common age of the newborn at the time of hypocalcaemia occurrence is within the first 24 h of life. The most commonly associated pathological conditions were jaundice, perinatal infection and hypoglycemia, which was not statistically significant.

Conclusion: Hypocalcaemia is an important clinical sign that we often do not think about and life-long is important. Therefore, more attention should be devoted to identifying risk factors, prevention, early identification and metabolic support for sick newborns.