Neonatal hypocalcemia

[Jessica]

Hypocalcemia is a total serum calcium concentration lt; 8 mg/dL (lt; 2 mmol/L) in term infants or lt; 7 mg/dL (lt; 1.75 mmol/L) in preterm infants. It is also defined as an ionized calcium level lt; 3.0 to 4.4 mg/dL (lt; 0.75 to 1.10 mmol/L), depending on the method (type of electrode) used. Signs are primarily neurologic and include hypotonia, apnea, and tetany. Treatment is IV or oral calcium supplementation.
(See also general discussion of hypocalcemia.)