# APBA Kısa Özet

Magnesium supplementation was highly prevalent in a prospective cohort of 1,078 German pregnant women. Sixty percent of participants used mono-magnesium supplements, and 70.8% used any magnesium supplement (mono- or combination preparations). Use increased with maternal age, rising from 57.8% at age 20 to 84.3% at age 45. Women with medium or high socioeconomic status were more likely to supplement than those with low status. Importantly, magnesium supplementation was not associated with changes in pregnancy duration.

# Çalışma neyi araştırdı?

The LIFE Child study aimed to examine the prevalence of magnesium supplementation among pregnant women in Germany and assess whether risk factors for preterm birth, including supplementation, were associated with magnesium use. The research team also explored whether magnesium supplementation affects pregnancy duration.

# Yöntem

This was a prospective observational cohort study nested within the LIFE Child framework. Data were collected from 1,078 pregnant women during the 24th and 36th weeks of pregnancy between 2011 and 2019. Magnesium supplement use was self-reported. Socioeconomic status (SES) and maternal age were recorded. Logistic regression models adjusted for age and SES were used to assess associations. A generalised linear model examined the relationship between magnesium supplementation and pregnancy duration.

# Temel bulgular

  • Overall magnesium supplementation: 70.8% (763/1,078) of women used mono- and/or combination magnesium preparations.
  • Mono-magnesium supplementation: 60.0% (647/1,078) of women used mono-magnesium supplements.
  • Age association: Magnesium use increased with maternal age, from 57.8% at age 20 to 84.3% at age 45.
  • Socioeconomic status: Women with medium SES had an odds ratio (OR) of 2.93 (95% CI: 1.20–7.37) and those with high SES had an OR of 3.82 (95% CI: 1.54–9.77) for overall magnesium supplementation compared to women with low SES.
  • Physician input: Among 215 women with documented physician data, 84.2% (181/215) reported that a physician had prescribed or recommended magnesium.
  • Pregnancy duration: No significant association was found between magnesium supplementation and pregnancy duration.

# Bulgular ne anlama geliyor?

Magnesium supplementation is common among pregnant women in Germany, with usage patterns strongly linked to age and socioeconomic position. The high rate of physician involvement (prescription or recommendation) in over 80% of documented cases suggests clinical awareness of magnesium in pregnancy. However, the lack of association with pregnancy duration indicates that supplementation, at least in this cohort, does not appear to modify the length of gestation.

# Klinik önem

The findings highlight that a majority of pregnant women are using magnesium supplements, often on the basis of physician recommendation. Clinicians should be aware of this high prevalence when assessing maternal nutrient intake and should consider individual patient needs rather than assuming supplementation affects overall pregnancy length. The association between higher SES and higher supplementation rates may inform targeted nutritional counseling strategies.

# Sınırlılıklar

The observational design limits causal inference regarding the effects of magnesium supplementation. Self-reported supplement use may be inaccurate. The study population was limited to Germany, potentially limiting generalizability. Information on physician recommendations was available for only a subset of participants (215 women). Potential selection bias exists in the recruited cohort. The study did not assess magnesium status via laboratory measures, relying solely on self-report of supplement use.