Zinc Deficiency in Pregnancy: A Dietary Health Problem

Abstract

Zinc is an important micro-nutrient in pregnancy. The maternal serum zinc levels were used as an index of zinc status in 55 pregnant women and was compared with the incidence of complications during the antenatal period. The mean value of plasma zinc in 15 non-pregnant, age matched controls (mean 54 ± 5.2 SD) was used as a cutoff point to subdivide the patient population into ‘low’ and ‘high’ groups. An association of complications like mild toxemia (P <0.05) vaginitis (P <0.05) and postdates (P <0.05) in the antenatal period was recorded with low levels of maternal serum zinc. It was concluded that a low serum zinc level is a valid predictor of pregnancy complications. The results suggest that serum zinc screening, as part of the patient’s antenatal evaluation should be evaluated.