ABSTRACT
Total glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1) was measured in 16 healthy non-pregnant Nigerian women and in three groups of healthy women at various times during pregnancy. There was a statistically significant decrease in HbA1 in the first trimester. The values progressively increased thereafter and by term, the values were comparable to those in non-pregnant controls. The values were identical to those reported for caucasian women at similar stages of pregnancy.
Subject(s)
Glycated Hemoglobin/analysis , Pregnancy/blood , Adult , Black People , Female , Hospitals, University , Humans , Nigeria , Pregnancy Trimester, First , Reference Values , White PeopleABSTRACT
Serum concentrations of copper, zinc and magnesium were determined in maternal and cord blood at delivery in term pregnancies among healthy Nigeria women. Maternal serum copper concentration was significantly higher than cord serum concentration. There were no significant differences in maternal and cord serum levels of zinc and magnesium.
Subject(s)
Copper/blood , Fetal Blood/chemistry , Magnesium/blood , Pregnancy/blood , Zinc/blood , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Nigeria , Reference ValuesABSTRACT
The concentration of copper and zinc was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 26 normal Nigerian women at term and their newborn babies. Cord zinc was significantly greater than maternal zinc. In contrast, cord copper was lower than maternal copper. There was only a weak correlation between cord copper and maternal copper but none between cord zinc and maternal zinc. There was no correlation between maternal and cord zinc and neonatal birthweight. However, an inverse correlation was found between maternal and cord copper and neonatal birthweight. These results indicate that: (1) zinc has no effect on fetal growth in Nigerian women but (2) copper may have a negative effect on fetal growth.
Subject(s)
Copper/blood , Fetal Blood/analysis , Pregnancy/blood , Zinc/blood , Birth Weight , Copper/physiology , Embryonic and Fetal Development/drug effects , Female , Hospitals, University , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Nigeria , Spectrophotometry, Atomic , Zinc/physiologyABSTRACT
Caffeine and the trace metals iron (Fe), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), silver (Ag) and mercury (Hg) were determined in six locally purchased mineral water drinks in Ile-Ife, Nigeria in a bid to determine the constituents in the drinks which may be responsible for their observed in vitro spermiostatic actions. There was no association between the caffeine and the trace metals content of the drinks and their in vitro inhibition of sperm motility. Some other possible factors are also discussed.
Subject(s)
Beverages , Caffeine/pharmacology , Carbonated Beverages , Mineral Waters , Sperm Motility/drug effects , Trace Elements/pharmacology , Beverages/analysis , Caffeine/analysis , Carbonated Beverages/analysis , Humans , Male , NigeriaABSTRACT
The concentration of plasma zinc and copper were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 58 Nigerian women at various times in pregnancy and compared with those of 11 non-pregnant controls. The results showed 67.5% decrease in zinc and 100% increase in copper over non-pregnant levels at the end of pregnancy. The mean plasma zinc levels were appreciably lower and copper the same as published values for Caucasian women at similar periods in pregnancy. Furthermore, there was no correlation between plasma zinc and copper and neonatal birthweight. We conclude that (1) a significant proportion of pregnant women in Nigeria have biochemical hypozincemia; (2) this hypozincemia is not responsible for fetal growth retardation in this population and (3) there is at present no justification for giving routine zinc supplementation to pregnant women in Nigeria.
Subject(s)
Copper/blood , Pregnancy/blood , Zinc/blood , Adult , Birth Weight , Copper/deficiency , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Nigeria , Zinc/deficiencyABSTRACT
In order to establish diagnostic criteria for detection of abnormal oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in pregnant and non-pregnant Nigerian women, the test was performed in 25 non-pregnant and 60 pregnant non-diabetic women at various trimesters of pregnancy. The upper limit of normal plasma glucose was the same as that from caucasian populations with respect to the fasting values but much less at 60 and 120 min. When compared to the non-pregnant controls, fasting plasma glucose was significantly lower during pregnancy, however, there was no change in glucose tolerance during pregnancy. The possible reasons for these observations are discussed and it would appear that our criteria would be the ideal ones to use for clinical purposes in Nigerian women.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus/diagnosis , Glucose Tolerance Test/standards , Pregnancy in Diabetics/diagnosis , Adult , Blood Glucose/metabolism , Cross-Sectional Studies , Fasting , Female , Humans , Intestinal Absorption , Nigeria , Pregnancy , Prospective Studies , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The effect of eight common local mineral water drinks in Ile-Ife, Nigeria (seven cola and one lemon-based) on sperm motility in vitro was carried out. There was no significant difference in the pH values of all the drinks, the pH ranged between 2.30-2.50. After one minute, Pepsi-Cola had the least inhibitory effect on sperm motility, Bitter-lemon had the strongest effect, while the other brands had varying effects between the two extremes. The percentage motility inhibition by the mineral water drinks is also a function of the initial total sperm count in the semen.
