Foetal and maternal magnesium metabolism: effect of magnesium deficiency and isoproterenol.

Pregnant rats were fed diets with an Mg2+ content of 40, 12, 6 and 3 mmol/kg from day 10-19 of pregnancy. There was a linear correlation of non-protein bound Mg2+ between foetal and maternal serum, between amniotic fluid and maternal serum, and between foetal serum and amniotic fluid, the ratios being 2.7, 2.0 and 1.3 respectively, indicating active transport of Mg2+ up to a constant concentration gradient by the placenta. In hearts, increases of Na+ and Ca2+, and decreases of Mg2+ and K+ were observed only in the group receiving the lowest Mg2+ supply. After i.v. injection of MgCl2 to pregnant rats, Mg2+ was slowly transported from maternal to foetal serum and more slowly into the amniotic fluid. The effect of isoproterenol on cardiac electrolyte content in pregnant rats was less than in non-pregnant rats, and the effect of isoproterenol in foetal rats was smaller than in maternal rats. These results are explained by inactivation of isoproterenol in the placenta, by the small diaplacental transport of isoproterenol and by a smaller isoproterenol-stimulation of foetal cardiac adenylate cyclase.