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Meconium mineral content in small for gestational age neonates
1Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Schneider Children's Hospital at North Shore, Manhasset, New York, USA.
Insights
Mineral levels in meconium of small for gestational age (SGA) newborns differed from appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants, suggesting potential nutritional deficits or varying fetal mineral use. These findings offer insights into intrauterine growth and neonatal nutrition.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Nutrition
- Perinatal Medicine
- Trace Element Metabolism
Background:
- Meconium mineral concentrations may reflect fetal mineral utilization and maternal supply adequacy.
- Small for gestational age (SGA) infants are at risk for nutritional deficits.
- Understanding mineral differences in SGA newborns can elucidate intrauterine growth factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare meconium mineral concentrations between SGA and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) newborns.
- To investigate if mineral differences indicate nutritional deficits or altered fetal mineral use in SGA infants.
- To explore the relationship between meconium minerals and maternal mineral supply.
Main Methods:
- Meconium samples from 21 SGA and 24 AGA newborns were analyzed for iron, zinc, copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
- Infants were stratified by gestational age: <= 35 weeks and >= 36 weeks.
- Mineral concentrations were compared between SGA and AGA groups within each gestational age subgroup.
Main Results:
- In infants <= 35 weeks gestational age, SGA newborns showed lower meconium iron and manganese concentrations compared to AGA.
- In infants >= 36 weeks gestational age, SGA newborns exhibited higher birthweight-adjusted meconium copper concentrations than AGA.
- No significant differences were found for other minerals across the groups.
Conclusions:
- Lower iron and manganese in preterm SGA infants may indicate increased fetal demand or reduced maternal supply.
- Higher copper in term-equivalent SGA infants might suggest decreased fetal utilization or increased maternal provision.
- These findings contribute to understanding intrauterine growth regulation and potential neonatal nutrient status.
Abstract:
The mineral concentration of meconia of small for gestational age (SGA) newborns were compared with those of appropriate for gestational age (AGA) newborns of similar gestational ages (GA) to determine whether differences may provide clues of possible nutritional deficits of SGA infants, given that levels of meconium minerals could indicate the use of minerals by the fetus and the sufficiency of the maternal supply of minerals. Twenty-one SGA and 24 AGA newborns were included. Eleven SGA and 15 AGA were < or = 35 weeks GA. Ten SGA and nine AGA infants were > or = 36 weeks GA. All meconia from each neonate was processed and assayed for iron, zinc, copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. In the < or = 35-week subgroups, the SGA infants had lower meconium iron and manganese concentrations than that of the AGA. Among > or = 36-week newborns, SGA infants had a higher birthweight-adjusted copper concentration than AGA infants, but no differences were observed for the remaining elements. Lower iron and manganese meconium in < or = 35-week SGA infants may reflect either a greater use or a decreased maternal supply. The higher birthweight-adjusted meconium copper in the > or = 36-week SGA infants may be due to a comparatively reduced fetal use or increased maternal supply. These data may assist in clarifying potential mechanisms affecting intrauterine growth and/or potential nutrient deficits in the neonatal period.
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