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Maternal zinc deficiency and congenital anomalies in newborns
Author(s) -
Moghimi Mahmood,
Ashrafzadeh Sahar,
Rassi Sepehr,
Naseh Ali
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
pediatrics international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.49
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1442-200X
pISSN - 1328-8067
DOI - 10.1111/ped.13176
Subject(s) - medicine , zinc deficiency (plant disorder) , pediatrics , pathology , micronutrient
Background Zinc deficiency in pregnant women is common, especially in the third trimester of pregnancy. The available data, however, on the association between zinc deficiency and congenital malformations in the Iranian population are insufficient. The aim of this study was therefore to determine whether maternal serum zinc deficiency is associated with major congenital malformations in newborns. Methods This descriptive, case–control study involved mothers of 80 neonates with congenital anomalies (study group) admitted to the Mofid Children's Hospital, Tehran, Iran. During the same period (2014 and 2015), serum zinc was measured in 80 mothers who had delivered normal newborns without congenital malformations (control group). Results Mothers with serum zinc deficiency had a more than sevenfold risk of malformations in the fetus compared with mothers with normal serum zinc ( OR , 7.013; 95% CI : 2.716–18.110). Newborns with malformation weighing ≤2500 g were associated with lower maternal serum zinc compared with the control group ( P = 0.006). Conclusions There is an association between congenital malformation in newborns and maternal zinc deficiency.