ABSTRACT

Zinc deficiency in neonates is a common finding in the developing world. The serum
zinc level of neonates is affected by the gestational age at delivery, maternal serum zinc
level, maternal serum albumin concentration, medications, conditions leading to
decreased absorption of ingested zinc as well as increased loss from the body. Zinc
deficiency in neonates has been suggested to be related to poor growth,
hyperbilirubinemia, seizures, necrotizing enterocolitis, retinopathy of prematurity and
bronchopulmonary dysplasia by some investigators. Three hundred and thirty motherneonate pairs who met the inclusion criteria were consecutively recruited; one hundred
and eighty (54.5%) of the neonates were males while 150(45.5%) were females. Serum
zinc was assayed using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS).The normal
range for serum zinc is 9.9-21.4µmol/l (equivalent to 64.7-139.9µg/dl) for cord blood
and 7.6-10.7µmol/l(equivalent to 49.9-69.9µg/dl) for maternal blood.For the purpose of
this study, cord serum zinc less than 64.7µg/dl and maternal serum zinc less
than49.9µg/dl were considered low. The cord serum zinc levels of neonates was normal
in 51.5% of cases but low in 48.5% of cases.There was a significant positive association
between cord blood serum zincand maternal serum zinc however cord serum zinc level
was not significantly associated withbirth weight, length, gender and socioeconomic
status. In conclusion from this study included that the prevalence of hypozincemia was
high in neonates delivered at FMC Owerri, maternal serum zinc is a strong factor
influencing cord serum zinc and that low cord serum zinc is commoner among Low
Birth Weight (LBW) neonates, female neonates, neonates from low socioeconomic class
families and in neonates whose mothers took little of zinc-rich foods in pregnancy.
This study therefore recommends improved maternal nutrition in pregnancy especially
with zinc- rich foods and to give zinc supplements to pregnant mothers during
antenatal care visits.
Keywords:Cord serum, zinc level, birth weight, gender and socioeconomic class