Zinc and copper status in urban Thai pregnant women and their pregnancy outcome

Abstract

Zinc and copper intakes and serum concentrations were determined at the 32th and 36th week of pregnancy in 96 healthy Thai women attending a prenatal clinic. Dietary data from 3-day food records revealed that the mean dietary zinc and copper intakes in Thai pregnant women were 6. 9 and 1. 7mg/d (equivalent to 34 and 69% of Thai RDA), respectively. Fifty-five percent of zinc intake was from animal origin, whereas 59% of copper intake was from plant origin. The infants of the 64 women who were in the study until delivery, were all normal. Most (>96%) of the maternal serum zinc and copper concentrations were within normal ranges. Only one woman at 32th week had low serum zinc level (<6.4μmol/L). There were no significant correlations between the maternal serum zinc or copper levels and pregnancy outcome (birth weight and birth length). In this study, although the zinc and copper intake in most Thai pregnant women (99 and 58%, respectively) were less than two-thirds of the Thai RDAs, they were not at risk of suffering from zinc and copper deficiencies as determined by serum zinc and copper concentrations, abnormal parturition and abnormal pregnancy outcome. Copyright © 1998 by CAPM.