Trace elements concentration in cord blood in healthy newborn births and their relations to anthropometric measurements

ABSTRACT

Serum Copper and Zinc levels of cord blood were studied at delivery in 156 healthy newborns. The relation of gestational age, birth weight, length, head circumference, mid-arm circumference and Apgar scores with these levels were assessed. Cord blood values for Copper and Zinc were 59.6 +/- 29.76 micro g/dl and 105.1 +/- 36.39 micro g/dl respectively for males and 60.22 +/- 25.99 micro g/dl and 97.61 +/- 40.66 micro g/dl respectively for females. A significant high level of Zinc in male newborns of mothers with a good obstetrical history in comparison with those of bad obstetrical history [109.0 +/- 30.03 vs 96.2 +/- 50.02, P < 0.05] was affected. Zinc cord blood positively correlated with birth weight [r =0.233, P < 0.05] in female but not male newborns. This study shows that fetal trace metals are altered with the fetal developmental variables and the implementation of these findings are discussed