Maternal selenium levels and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

The possibility is tested that low anti-oxidant status and/or low levels of selenium (Se) might predispose to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

This study was undertaken to collect evidence on the Se status of pregnant and non-pregnant women and newborn babies and to establish whether babies who later died of cot death had significantly divergent levels of blood Se at birth.

Aliquots of blood were collected from all newly pregnant mothers in Tasmania and from the cords of all newborn babies. These were analysed for Se and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) content and compared by season and with non-pregnant, age standardised blood donors in three areas of Tasmania and three mainland Australian States.

Cot death babies' cordbloods were not significantly different in Se or GPx-status, in this small sample, from those of other babies, nor was a seasonal variation in these parameters demonstrated among 390 randomly selected Tasmanian mothers. Mothers-to-be showed a decrease in enzyme levels during pregnancy and Tasmanian blood donors had significantly lower levels than donors from other States.

While no evidence can safely be drawn about a relationship between Se or GPx-status and SIDS, this study provides base level measures for populations showing that Tasmanian residents have low levels of these anti-oxidants.