Avtor/Urednik     Osredkar, Joško; Geršak, Živa Miriam; Karas Kuželički, Nataša; Snoj Tratnik, Janja; Mazej, Darja; Falnoga, Ingrid; Horvat, Milena; Geršak, Ksenija
Naslov     Association of Zn and Cu levels in cord blood and maternal milk with pregnancy outcomes among the Slovenian population
Tip     članek
Vol. in št.     Letnik 14, št. 21
Leto izdaje     2022
Obseg     str. 1-19
ISSN     2072-6643 - Nutrients
Jezik     eng
Abstrakt     Trace elements, including zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu), are known to play important roles in human health. The present study aimed to assess the levels of Zn and Cu in cord blood and maternal milk and to analyze their association with maternal and infant characteristics and pregnancy outcomes in a Slovenian study population of mothers and their neonates recruited within the PHIME prospective cohort study. The study included 324 mothers, but the data on Zn and Cu levels in both cord blood and maternal milk was available for 243 mothers. Questionnaires were used to assess the socio-demographic and health status of the mothers, their lifestyle habits (including detailed nutritional habits), and their residential and occupational histories. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to measure Zn and Cu levels in cord blood and maternal milk. Low Zn levels in cord blood were associated with lower gestational age and birth weight and were correlated with an increased probability of the birth of small for gestational age (SGA) infants. Maternal smoking influenced the Cu levels in both cord blood and maternal milk. Cord blood Cu levels were higher and Cu levels in maternal milk were lower in smoking compared to non-smoking mothers. Most importantly, a decreased Zn/Cu ratio in cord blood was associated with lower gestational age and lower birth weight. This indicates the overall positive effects of Zn and negative effects of Cu on pregnancy outcomes.
Proste vsebinske oznake     cord blood
maternal milk
gestational age
birth weight
popkovnična kri
materino mleko
gestacijska starost
porodna teža