The effects of maternal zinc deficiency on myometrial contractility: an in vitro study

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of zinc-supplemented or zinc-deficient diet on myometrial contractility during pregnancy. Material and Method: The patients were divided in four groups as Group 1 (n=5) fed with zinc-deficient diet, Group 2 (n=5) fed with zinc-supplemented diet, Group 3 (n=5) fed with normal diet, and Group 4 (n=5) as the control group and in vitro contractility study was conducted in the myometrial samples taken from these four groups, and intergroup comparison was performed for the results. The p<0.05 was accepted as significant. Results: In the evaluation of the contractility data, it was determined that the strength and period of contraction and also the frequencies increased in the zinc-supplemented group compared to the other groups. The difference was found to be significant only in frequency ( p<0.05). In the intergroup comparison, the frequency was found to be significantly higher in the zinc-supplemented group than all the other groups ( p<0.05). Conclusion: This in vitro finding can indicate the importance of zinc supplementation during pregnancy for postpartum bleeding.