Association of Cord Blood Zinc Level and Birth Weight in a Sample of Iranian Neonates

BACKGROUND: In addition to its short-term effects, low birth weight increases the risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in adult life. The quality of maternal diet including the macronutrient intake is very important in this regard. This study aims to evaluate the possible associations between maternal zinc and neonatal anthropometric measures. METHOD: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 226 pairs of mothers-neonates in Isfahan, Iran. Maternal characteristics including the history of the disease, age, preconceptional weight, weight gain during pregnancy, as well as, anthropometric characteristics of neonates such as weight, height, length, and circumferences of head, belly, chest, and thigh were documented. Cord blood zinc was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer in three groups of neonates depending on their weights. RESULTS: The gestational age of neonates was 35 to 38 weeks with a mean weight of 3.13 ± 0.42 kg. The mean of zinc concentration was 0.81 ± 0.18 and it was higher in neonates with appropriate weight than in those with high or low birth weight (0.82 ± 0.18, 0.75 ± 0.19, and 0.65 ± 0.12 ng/ml, respectively). Bivariate correlation analysis showed significant weak correlation between cord blood zinc and neonatal weight (r = 0.16, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The cord blood zinc concentration of normal-weight neonates was higher than others. Our findings suggest that maternal zinc may influence neonatal birth weight, and it should be considered in the primordial prevention of NCDs.