Pathobiochemistry of minerals and trace elements. I. Metabolism of zinc in the mother and newborn during the perinatal period (author's transl)

In 468 mothers and their newborns the zinc levels in blood and serum were measured after the birth. Zinc levels were low in normal and also in complicated pregnancies. The fall in the level was the same in primi and multipara. There was no correlation between the blood group or the Rhesus factor or Apgar score and zinc metabolism. In male newborns the zinc level was significantly lower than in female newborns. The Apgar score was not affected by the course of pregnancy or the sex of the foetus. We suggest that the recommendations of Mischel [19], Apgar [1,2] and Sandstead [20] to substitute zinc as well as calcium and iron to protect the physiological metabolism of mother and child during pregnancy should be investigated by further research.