Magnesium in pregnancy blood pressure and pre-eclampsia – A review

Abstract Magnesium is an important cation present in more than 300 enzymes in the body. This review evaluates the information on magnesium and pregnancy. In normal pregnancies Mg responsive genes are upregulated, suggesting Mg deficiency. Blood pressure increase is related to the urinary excretion of Mg. In pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia the Mg homeostasis is different from normal pregnancies. Supplementation with Mg has shown beneficial effects on high blood pressure and infant conditions in some studies. Although several studies show important relationships between Mg homeostasis and pregnancy, particularly those with pre-eclampsia, further studies are needed to assess the relationship and formulate requirements for intervention programmes.