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| ZINC SUPPLEMENTATION IN PREGNANCY |
REF 1
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Abstract:
Prenatal Zinc supplementation and fetal bone growth
Am J Clin Nutr 79:826-830 (May 2004)
Background: Zinc deficiency during pregnancy is likely to be common worldwide, particularly among women in developing countries or those who consume diets based on cereals, vegetables, and legumes that are of moderate to low zinc bioavailability. On the basis of intake data from several published studies, it has been estimated that 82% of pregnant women worldwide may have inadequate usual intakes of zinc. Zinc is critically involved in several biological mechanisms related to growth, including protein synthesis, gene expression, and hormonal regulation.
Objective: The objective of the present study was to determine the effects on fetal growth and neurobehavioral development of supplementing marginally zinc-deficient mothers. Presented in this study are the results assessed by ultrasonography, which permits examination of the pattern of fetal growth both over the entire pregnancy and during specific periods of gestation, and it enablesthe investigation of potential effects of zinc on specific components of growth, such as bone growth and maturation.
Result: Femur diaphysis length was greater in fetuses whose mothers received zinc supplements, and the difference tended to increase with gestational age. No significant differences by supplement type were observed for the other anatomical sites measured. In conclusion, the observed positive effect of prenatal zinc on fetal femur diaphysis length is consistent with the results of experimental studies in animals and in vitro. The supplementation effect represents and upward shift in mean femur diaphysis length at term of about one quarter of the reference standard deviation.
Conclusion:These findings suggest the potential importance of maternal zinc status for fetal bone growth in humans and illustrate the value of ultrasonography for evaluating the effect of prenatal nutritional interventions on components of fetal growth.
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REF 2
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Abstract:
Maternal zinc supplements in pregnancy lower risks linked to low birth weight.
Osendarp SJM et al., Zinc supplementation during pregnancy and effects on growth and morbidity in low birthweight infants: a randomised placebo controlled trial, Lancet, 2001, 357(9262):1080-1085
Study Design And Setting: Women living in Dhaka were enrolled in the study at 12-16 weeks' gestation and were randomly assigned to take either daily zinc supplements (30 mg) or a placebo throughout the remainder of their pregnancy; they saw a health care worker each week to receive a fresh supply of tablets. Fieldworkers conducted weekly followup visits in the women's homes for up to six months after the birth. During these visits, they asked the women detailed questions about the infants' health, to assess the occurrence of respiratory infections, diarrhea, fever, skin diseases and other illnesses; doctors examined infants who required medical attention. All babies were weighed and measured at monthly visits; blood was taken to measure infants' serum zinc levels at one month and six months of age.
A total of 420 infants were included in the analyses-199 whose mothers had taken zinc supplements and 221 whose mothers had taken placebo tablets. The two groups of mothers were of similarly young age and low socioeconomic status. All infants were breastfed throughout the study, but few were exclusively breastfed for the entire period. Between birth and six months, the infants' growth rates and serum zinc concentrations were similar, regardless of whether their mothers took zinc supplements or placebo.
The researchers used regression techniques to compare the frequency of disease in the two groups of infants, controlling for the mothers' socioeconomic status, parity and serum zinc level at the beginning of the study.
Results: Infants whose mothers had taken zinc had significantly lower risks of acute diarrhea (risk ratio, 0.8), dysentery (0.4) and impetigo (0.5) than did those in the placebo group; they also were ill with dysentery or impetigo for significantly fewer days.
The risks of acute diarrhea, dysentery and impetigo were reduced by 32-74% if the mother had taken zinc supplements during pregnancy. The researchers conducted separate analyses using data on low-birth-weight infants born at term and those who were preterm. For full-term low-birth-weight infants, the risks of acute diarrhea, all diarrheal episodes and impetigo were significantly reduced (risk ratios, 0.3-0.6) among those whose mothers had used zinc supplements..
Conclusion: They conclude that given the apparent contribution of maternal zinc supplementation to reductions in poor health outcomes among low-birth-weight infants, "consideration should be given to the addition of Zinc to regular antenatal supplements" in regions where low birth weight is common.
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Last Updated On 12/7/2007
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