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. 2015 Jun 8:5:11262.
doi: 10.1038/srep11262.

Maternal zinc deficiency during pregnancy elevates the risks of fetal growth restriction: a population-based birth cohort study

Hua Wang  1 , Yong-Fang Hu  2 , Jia-Hu Hao  1 , Yuan-Hua Chen  1 , Pu-Yu Su  1 , Ying Wang  2 , Zhen Yu  2 , Lin Fu  2 , Yuan-Yuan Xu  1 , Cheng Zhang  1 , Fang-Biao Tao  1 , De-Xiang Xu  1
Affiliations

Maternal zinc deficiency during pregnancy elevates the risks of fetal growth restriction: a population-based birth cohort study

Hua Wang et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

We investigated the association between maternal zinc level during pregnancy and the risks of low birth weight (LBW) and small for gestational age (SGA) infants in a large population-based birth cohort study. In this study, 3187 pregnant women were recruited. For serum zinc level, 2940 pregnant women were sufficient (≥56 μg/dL) and 247 deficient (<56 μg/dL). Of interest, 7.3% newborns were with LBW among subjects with low zinc level (RR: 3.48; 95% CI: 2.03, 5.96; P < 0.001). Adjusted RR for LBW was 3.41 (95% CI: 1.97, 5.91; P < 0.001) among subjects with low zinc level. Moreover, 15.0% newborns were with SGA among subjects with low zinc level (RR: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.36, 2.88; P < 0.001). Adjusted RR for SGA was 1.93 (95% CI: 1.32, 2.82; P < 0.001) among subjects with low zinc level. A nested case-control study within above cohort showed that maternal serum zinc level was lower in SGA cases as compared with controls. By contrast, maternal serum C-reactive protein, TNF-α and IL-8 levels were significantly higher in SGA cases than that of controls. Moreover, nuclear NF-κB p65 was significantly up-regulated in placentas of SGA cases as compared with controls. Taken together, maternal zinc deficiency during pregnancy elevates the risks of LBW and SGA infants.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Flow diagram of recruitment and follow-up in this birth cohort study.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Serum zinc level during early gestational stage and inflammatory cytokines in maternal sera from SGA cases and controls.
Serum zinc level and inflammatory cytokines during the first trimester were measured in 50 SGA cases and 100 controls. (A) Zinc. (B) CRP. (C) TNF-α. (D) IL-8. All data were expressed as means ± SEM. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 as compared with controls.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Zinc level in umbilical sera from SGA cases and controls.
Zinc level in umbilical sera was measured in 30 SGA cases and 30 controls. All data were expressed as means ± SEM.
Figure 4
Figure 4. NF-κB p65 in placentas from SGA cases and controls.
Placental NF-κB p65 was measured in controls and SGA cases using immunohistochemistry. Arrows indicate NF-кB p65-positive cells. Scale bar: 50 μm.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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