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Zinc nutriture in pregnant and lactating women in different population groups
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, CP.
Zinc concentrations in plasma and milk of white, Indian and coloured pregnant and lactating women residing in the Pietermaritzburg area were determined. In all groups pregnant women were found to have lower plasma zinc concentrations than nonpregnant or lactating women; the depressed levels persisted for the first 5 days after parturition, whereafter they increased to normal values. Pregnant Indian and coloured women were found to have significantly lower plasma zinc levels than white women. Lactating Indian women also had lower zinc concentrations in both plasma and milk than white women. The possible detrimental effect of suboptimal zinc nutriture during pregnancy and lactation is discussed and a more extensive analysis of zinc levels during these periods is suggested.
Zinc concentrations in plasma and milk of white, Indian and coloured pregnant and lactating women residing in the Pietermaritzburg area were determined. In all groups pregnant women were found to have lower plasma zinc concentrations than nonpregnant or lactating women; the depressed levels persisted for the first 5 days after parturition, whereafter they increased to normal values. Pregnant Indian and coloured women were found to have significantly lower plasma zinc levels than white women. Lactating Indian women also had lower zinc concentrations in both plasma and milk than white women. The possible detrimental effect of suboptimal zinc nutriture during pregnancy and lactation is discussed and a more extensive analysis of zinc levels during these periods is suggested.