EFFECT OF ZINC SUPPLEMENTATION ON PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS AND ANTHROPOMETRIC MEASUREMENTS OF INFANTS AT BIRTH

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Maternal zinc supplementation has been suggested as a potential intervention to reduce the incidence of low birth weight (LWB). The results of placebo-controlled trials are inconsistent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of zinc supplementation on pregnancy complications and outcome. METHODS: We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which 196 women who were selected from health care centers in Ardabil between 16-20 wk of pregnancy. Then, they randomly were allocated to receive zinc supplementation (as 220mg zinc sulfate) or placebo. All information of baseline characteristics, follow up forms, pregnancy complications and anthropometric measurement of infants were collected by trained midwifes. FINDINGS: Seventeen of the 196 women were excluded from study. The incidence of low birth weight (