Original research: The Role of Zinc level of Maternal Blood on the Body Weight of the Newborns

Abstract

Serum zinc levels in LBW (low birth weight) and AGA (suitable for gestational age) neonates were compared to their mothers' zinc levels.Between August 2019 and October 2020, a prospective analysis was performed at a pediatric hospital in Babylon, Iraq. The qualified LBW (pre-term and term IUGR) and term AGA safe neonates and their mothers were taken to estimate the Zinc level. Serum samples were obtained. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer was measured for serum zinc. Newborn moms with any medical problem were removed from the sample for any drugs with anemia (Hb<10 gm/dl). Neonates were also omitted from any perinatal insult.TheResults were shown that the case group consisted of 92 newborns with birth weights less than 2.5 kilograms, while the control group consisted of 108 term AGA newborns with birth weights greater than 2.5 kilograms. In contrast to term AGA newborns (93.71+ 19.22 g/dl), the mean serum zinc level in LBW neonates (82.26 + 15.72 g/dl) was slightly lower (p-value 0.05). Similarly, mothers of LBW babies had lower zinc levels (65.03 + 15.94 g/dl) than mothers of term AGA newborns (85.60 + 17.49 g/dl) atthe p-value 0.05. We can concluded LBW neonates have relatively have Zinc deficiency, which is attributed to zinc deficiency in their mothers.