Hypercalcemia in Pregnancy

Karel Dandurand1, Dalal S Ali1, Aliya A Khan1

  • 1Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, McMaster University, Bone Research and Education Centre, 3075 Hospital Gate, Unit 223, Oakville, ON L6M 1M1, Canada.

Hypercalcemic disorders are rare in pregnant women and are usually due to primary hyperparathyroidism. Clinical manifestations of hypercalcemia are nonspecific and can be masked by the physiologic changes of pregnancy. Furthermore, routine antenatal screening does not include serum calcium measurement and a hypercalcemia diagnosis may therefore be delayed until term or even after delivery. Timely recognition and appropriate interventions are essential to decrease maternal and fetal complications. Conservative measures are appropriate in the presence of mild hypercalcemia. Parathyroidectomy remains the mainstay of treatment for primary hyperparathyroidism with significant hypercalcemia not responding to conservative measures.

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