During pregnancy, expectant mothers may experience symptoms such as leg cramps, numbness in the limbs, loose teeth, and back pain, which may be due to calcium deficiency. Women lose a significant amount of calcium during pregnancy. This is because, on the one hand, there are physiological changes in pregnant women, with increased secretion of parathyroid hormone and decreased secretion of calcitonin; on the other hand, all the calcium needed for fetal bone formation comes from the mother's body, and the amount of calcium consumed by expectant mothers is much higher than that of normal individuals. Therefore, calcium deficiency is a common phenomenon in women during pregnancy.
Why do expectant mothers experience calcium deficiency during pregnancy?
During the second trimester of pregnancy, in order to meet the needs of fetal growth and bone calcification, the mother's body transports about 30 milligrams of calcium to the fetus through the placenta every day. At the same time, due to the increase in blood volume, the mother's body experiences relative hypocalcemia, causing unique changes in calcium metabolism during pregnancy. In the later stages of pregnancy, about 200 milligrams of calcium are deposited in the fetal bone tissue every day, and urinary calcium excretion increases. The body can only mobilize calcium from bones and muscles to maintain a new calcium steady state. The Chinese Nutrition Society recommends a daily intake of 1000-1500 milligrams of calcium for pregnant women, which is the highest requirement for calcium supplementation. However, actual calcium intake measurements show that the average daily calcium intake from traditional diets of pregnant women in China is only 478 milligrams, which is severely insufficient.
The effects of calcium deficiency on expectant mothers
If calcium intake is insufficient during pregnancy, the fetus will mercilessly take calcium from the mother's bones, resulting in calcium deficiency during pregnancy. This can manifest as loose teeth, weakness in the limbs, back pain, dizziness, anemia, and pregnancy-induced hypertension in pregnant women. If the mother's calcium deficiency is severe, it can cause muscle spasms, leading to leg cramps, twitching or numbness in the hands and feet, and even osteoporosis, which can increase the incidence of preeclampsia. A large amount of clinical data has shown a close relationship between calcium deficiency and the occurrence of preeclampsia. Many women experience back pain and shoulder pain after catching a cold or exerting themselves during pregnancy, and this pain often persists after childbirth, and for some, throughout their lives. This is the result of calcium deficiency during pregnancy.
The effects of calcium deficiency on the fetus
Calcium deficiency during pregnancy can also have adverse effects on the growth and development of the fetus, leading to phenomena such as softening of the skull, widened fontanels, and abnormal closure of the fontanelles after birth.
Congenital rickets
Congenital rickets is characterized by an enlarged fontanelle and an open anterior and posterior fontanelle, often accompanied by hypocalcemic seizures. Mothers of these infants often experience symptoms of hypocalcemia during pregnancy, such as back pain, leg cramps, and numbness in the hands and feet. Therefore, appropriate calcium supplementation for expectant mothers can help prevent congenital rickets in newborns.
Eczema
There are many explanations for the causes of eczema, but recent studies suggest that low calcium-related vasospasm and local inadequate blood supply can cause rashes, rough skin, and excessive scaling. Calcium has anti-inflammatory and blood vessel permeability-reducing effects, and calcium supplementation has functions that other drugs cannot achieve in the treatment of eczema.
Laryngeal stridor
Laryngeal stridor refers to the wheezing sound produced during breathing by newborns or infants aged 2 to 3 months. It is caused by softening of the laryngeal cartilage due to calcium deficiency. If expectant mothers supplement calcium in a timely manner, the occurrence of this condition can be reduced.
Night crying in babies
Babies often cry at night, and if there are no other underlying diseases, it is often due to calcium deficiency. If the baby's calcium intake is sufficient, the symptoms of night crying can be effectively controlled.
Night terrors in babies
Due to the immature development of the baby's central nervous system before the age of 6 months, they may experience night terrors during sleep, which is also caused by calcium deficiency. Babies with sufficient calcium intake rarely experience this phenomenon.
Nighttime leg cramps in babies
Babies often involuntarily twitch while sleeping, which is commonly attributed to them being startled in their dreams or due to growth. However, this is actually a type of leg cramp caused by calcium deficiency.
Functional abdominal pain in babies
There are many causes of babies' abdominal pain, with functional abdominal pain being the most common. Recent studies have found that functional abdominal pain is mainly caused by calcium deficiency. Calcium deficiency leads to increased neural excitability, resulting in intestinal spasms and abdominal pain. Calcium supplementation can treat this type of abdominal pain.
Delayed eruption of teeth in babies
Normal babies can start growing new teeth at around 4 to 6 months old, but babies with calcium deficiency may not have any new teeth even at the age of one or two, or their teeth eruption sequence may be disordered, and their tooth enamel may be rough. If mothers can supplement calcium during pregnancy and lactation, these symptoms can be reduced.
Impact on brain development
The pregnancy period is a critical period for the growth and development of the fetal brain. The growth, metabolism, and normal functioning of brain cells all depend on calcium. Therefore, calcium is very important for the intellectual development and nervous system of newborns. Calcium supplementation can enhance future intellectual development in fetuses.
Expectant mothers should supplement calcium moderately during pregnancy
Ge Jing suggests that calcium deficiency in pregnant women mainly occurs in two periods. The first is between weeks 8 to 12 of pregnancy, mainly caused by decreased calcium intake due to pregnancy reactions, characterized by a sharp decrease in blood calcium levels. The second period is between 24 weeks of pregnancy and delivery, due to rapid fetal development and increased active calcium transport from the mother to the fetus through the placenta. Therefore, expectant mothers should pay attention to moderate calcium supplementation starting from the second trimester. There are many calcium supplements available on the market, and it is best to choose high-concentration calcium sources such as calcium carbonate under the guidance of a doctor. In addition to calcium supplements, a diet rich in calcium should also be consumed. Consuming dairy products, ideally 250-500 milliliters of milk per day, as well as foods such as shrimp, vegetables, eggs, soy products, seaweed, and seafood, which are all rich in calcium, is recommended. Ge Jing reminds expectant mothers to supplement calcium in moderation, typically until week 36, to avoid excessive hardening of the infant's skull, which may hinder a smooth and natural delivery.
