Study of serum zinc in low birth weight neonates and its relation with maternal zinc

Assessment of serum Zinc in LBW (Low Birth Weight) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) neonates in relation to their maternal zinc level.

A prospective study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital of central India between August 2011 to July 2012. Serum samples were collected from the eligible LBW (preterm & term IUGR) and term AGA healthy neonates and their mothers for zinc level estimation. Serum zinc was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Newborn of mothers having any medical illness, on any medication, with anaemia (Hb <10 gm/dl) were excluded from the study. Neonates with any perinatal insult were also excluded.

Out of 100 newborn-mother pairs enrolled in the study, 46 newborns (18 preterm and 28 term IUGR) with birth weight <2.5kg comprised the case group and rest 54 term AGA newborns (birth weight >2.5kg) were categorized as control group. Mean serum zinc level was significantly low in LBW neonates (83.45±16.74 μg/dl) in comparison to term AGA newborns (93.74±19.95 μg/dl), (p-value <0.05). Similarly, zinc level was also low in mothers of LBW babies (67.02±15.99 μg/dl) in comparison to mothers of term AGA newborns (83.59±18.46 μg/dl), (p-value < 0.05). Low maternal zinc levels were significant correlated with lower serum zinc in LBW neonates (Pearson correlation value - 0.938). However, maternal zinc levels have shown no significant correlation with neonatal serum zinc levels in term AGA (0.029).

LBW neonates and their mothers have significant zinc deficiency as compared to term AGA neonates and their mothers and this deficiency is correlated with zinc deficiency in mothers of these LBW neonates.