1/3. Post-partum hypocalcemia: idiopatic hypoparathyroidism manifested early in lactation.hypocalcemia associated with labor and lactation is a rare condition reported previously in patients with hypovitaminosis D. We here describe a case of a young woman in whom symptomatic severe hypocalcemia appeared after her second delivery, early in lactation. At the end of lactation the condition worsened. We review all previously reported cases and suggest a possible physiologic explanation for the association between pregnancy, lactation and the appearance of symptomatic hypocalcemia.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = lactation (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/3. Postpartum resolution of hypocalcemia in a lactating hypoparathyroid patient.A 24 year old woman with post-surgical hypoparathyroidism was studied during pregnancy and lactation. During pregnancy the patient required less vitamin D therapy for control of her hypoparathyroidism and, while lactating, maintained a normal serum calcium without any supplemental vitamin D. The serum parathyroid hormone concentration and plasma 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D concentration were undetectable and low normal respectively at a time when the serum calcium concentration was normal and the patient was not on vitamin D therapy. Urinary calcium excretion was low during this period and may explain the normalization of the serum calcium. The mechanism by which the improvement in calcium metabolism occurred is unknown, but may be secondary to a direct effect of prolactin on calcium homeostasis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.125keywords = lactation (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/3. High prevalence of vitamin d deficiency among Ethiopian women immigrants to israel: exacerbation during pregnancy and lactation.A population of 125 adult Ethiopian women immigrants to israel was screened for serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase. Five women (prevalence of 4%) had hypocalcemia and in one of them osteomalacia was found. In the other 120 subjects normal values were recorded. All five patients had low serum levels of 25 hydroxy (OH) vitamin D3 and high parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. In four of the five patients, clinical and biochemical manifestations of vitamin d deficiency were detected during pregnancy or lactation. Treatment with vitamin D2 for 4-13 months resulted in clinical improvement and partially corrected the biochemical abnormalities, but low serum vitamin D levels and elevated PTH levels persisted. We conclude that vitamin d deficiency among female Ethiopian immigrants to israel can be ascribed either to dark skin or low calcium and vitamin D intake, or both. As far as we known this is the first report of vitamin d deficiency among such immigrants. Our study suggests the need to be alert to the possibility of vitamin d deficiency in Ethiopian women who have immigrated to israel, in particular those who are pregnant or are breast-feeding.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.625keywords = lactation (Clic here for more details about this article) |