Associations of Maternal and Neonatal Serum Trace Element Concentrations with Neonatal Birth Weight

Abstract

BackgroundTrace elements play important nutritional roles in neonates. Our objective was to examine whether there are differences in maternal/neonatal serum trace element concentrations between mature infants and premature infants.MethodsDuring 2012, 44 infants born at National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan, were enrolled. Serum samples were collected to measure serum iron, zinc, copper, and selenium concentrations 5 days after birth. Maternal serum samples were obtained before delivery and cord blood was taken at delivery to measure the same trace elements. We compared the results between term group whose birth weight were ≥2500 g and gestational age were ≥37 weeks and premature group whose birth weight were <2500 g or gestational age were <37 weeks. Variables significantly different between two groups were included in linear regression models to identify significant predictors of birth weight. Values of P<0.05 were considered statistically significant.ResultsSerum selenium concentrations were lower in premature group than in term group (43.3±7.0 µg/L vs. 52.0±8.9 µg/L, P = 0.001). Maternal serum selenium concentrations were also significantly lower in the mothers of premature group than in the mothers of term group (79.3±19.3 µg/L vs. 94.1±18.1 µg/L, P = 0.032). There were no significant differences in neonatal or maternal iron, zinc, or copper concentrations between two groups. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that, except for gestational age, only maternal serum selenium was significantly associated with birth weight (P = 0.015).ConclusionsSerum selenium concentrations were lower in premature group and their mothers compared with the term group. The maternal serum selenium concentration was positively correlated with birth weight. These results suggest that maternal serum selenium concentration may influence neonatal birth weight.

Effects of Environmental Exposures on Fetal and Childhood Growth Trajectories

“…Of studies that collected both maternal blood at birth and cord blood, one study found only maternal blood levels of Cu was associated with gestational age of the baby, 122 while the other three studies did not find any relationship between birth outcomes and serum Cu levels in either maternal or cord blood samples. 114,118,124 Other studies that used either cord blood, 78 or maternal urine 95 did not find an association between levels of Cu and adverse pregnancy outcomes.…”

“…One study from Japan with both maternal and cord blood reported that maternal blood levels of Se at birth were significantly associated with birth weight while cord blood levels of Se were not. 124 …”

“…Toxic metals reaching the fetus could impair or alter the uterine environment and dysregulate the fetal epigenome, given that the embryo and fetus are highly susceptible to epigenetic dysregulation by environmental pollutants, 115,119 may affect gene expression and enzyme activity in placental trophoblast cells, 124 act as endocrine disruptors, 123,135–138 and/or develop persistent vulnerabilities in immune system function that would affect fetal development. 138,139 Trace minerals could lead to adverse health effects at too high levels.…”

Birth Weight in Relation to Maternal Blood Levels of Selected Elements in Slovenian Populations: A Cross-sectional Study

“…Exposure to Pb was found to be associated with birth weight either negatively [37,38], or insignificantly [34][35][36]. Non-significant correlations have been observed for Hg in maternal blood [35,36,39].…”

Association between Maternal Zinc Status, Dietary Zinc Intake and Pregnancy Complications: A Systematic Review

“…These are required for a variety of biological processes including carbohydrate and protein metabolism, DNA and RNA synthesis, cellular replication and differentiation, and hormone regulation [7,8,9,10]. The importance of zinc to the growth of the fetus is demonstrated by the active transport of zinc across the placenta into the fetal circulation resulting in higher cord blood concentrations compared to those in the maternal circulation [11,12,13,14]. Rodent models of severe maternal zinc deficiency show increased rates of fetal loss and congenital malformations in the surviving fetuses [15] as well as reduced fetal growth [16,17,18], lower implantation rates and impaired placental growth [19], all highlighting the teratogenic effects of zinc deficiency in pregnancy.…”