An Observational Study to Correlate Maternal Serum and Cord Blood Zinc with Fetal Growth Restriction

Abstract

Objectives: To study maternal serum and cord blood zinc as causal factor in fetal growth restriction and to find out correlation, if any, between birth weight and maternal serum and cord blood zinc levels. Material and methods: This prospective observational study was carried out on 120 term pregnant women who attended the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pt. B. D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, of which, 60 had FGR babies and 60 had normal growth babies. Serum zinc levels were studied in these women and cord blood zinc levels in their neonates. Results: After adjusting for other variables in the multivariable model we found that the mean serum zinc level in study group women was 115.65±6.36µg/dL at term and 116.91±6.39µg/dL in late preterm neonates. Also, we found that the mean cord blood zinc levels were 136.03±9.25µg/dL in study group and 135.24±4.72µg/dL in control group in term neonates while in late preterm neonates, it was 135.06±9.52µg/dL in study group and 133.18±6.58µg/dL in control group. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between birth weight of FGR babies with the maternal serum zinc levels at term and between cord blood zinc levels and birth weight in both preterm and term neonates. Conclusion: Zinc is an essential micronutrient during pregnancy and is needed for fetal development and placental functions. Its role in fetal growth and development, need of supplementation in pregnant women needs to be studied further to demonstrate better clinical outcomes in women with growth retarded fetus. Keywords: Cord blood zinc, Fetal growth restriction, late preterm neonates, maternal zinc, micronutrients, term neonates.