Implications of Zinc on Fetal Neural Tube Defects
Journal Title: Internet Journal of Medical Update - Year 2012, Vol 7, Issue 2
Abstract
Zinc is essential for normal growth and differentiation in all mammalian species and it is reported that folic acid supplementation has reduced the incidence of neural tube defects (NTD). It is still considered one of the important congenital malformations having wide implications. Zinc deficiency has been reported to produce NTD in animals. The present study was undertaken to evaluate zinc status of newborn babies with NTD and their mothers. Blood samples were taken from 287 mothers and their babies having NTD and from 110 controls visiting hospitals and health clinics. Zinc level as µg/ml for blood and serum and µg/g for cell mass were determined on GBC 932 atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Australia) by fluorometery. The mean maternal blood, serum and cell mass concentration in NTD group (14.56 ± 1.34 µg/ml, 0.6 ± 0.01 µg/ml, 5.64 ± 0.35 µg/gm respectively) were significantly lower than those of the control mothers (24.15 ± 2.95 µg/ml, 0.72 ± 0.03 µg/ml, 7.37 ± 0.44 µg/gm respectively). There is a significant decrease in the concentration of Zinc in newborns having NTD (15.65 ± 3.18 µg/ml, 0.56 ± 0.08 µg/ml, 5.11 ± 0.18 µg/gm respectively) as compared with normal newborns (28.04 ± 1.1 µg/ml, 0.59 ± 0.08 µg/ml and 6.08 ± 0.29 µg/gm respectively). Maternal nutritional zinc deficiency in newborns and their mothers is thought to be one of the factors responsible for NTD. However, the lowered zinc concentration may be influencing the causation of NTD. More investigations on zinc status in mothers during antenatal period, especially in the prenatal development and antenatal zinc status including normal babies and NTD babies are required at population level.
Authors and Affiliations
Rajeev Vats, R Sharma, A Sharma
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP103468
- DOI -
- Views 97
- Downloads 0
NANOMEDICINE
Glycogen storage disease type 3: a management challenge in pregnancy
TREATMENT TO TARGETS IN TYPE 2 DIABETICS: ANALYSIS OF OUT-PATIENTS PRACTICE AT A REMOTE WESTERN NIGERIAN HOSPITAL
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality all over the world. Tight control of diabetes in the outpatients will reduce complications and hospitalizations. This study of Nigerian patients with d...
Pulse wave velocity and electroneurophysiological evaluation in patients of rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease of undetermined etiology involving the synovial membranes and articular structures of multiple joints and is also associated with carditis, pleuritis, hepat...
Successful Thrombolysis of Aortic Prosthetic Valve Thrombosis during First Trimester of Pregnancy
Prosthetic heart valve thrombosis during pregnancy is life-threatening. Standard surgical treatment using cardiopulmonary bypass carries high maternal and fetal complications. Here we report a case of an antenatal female...