Trace elements in the serum of mothers and their children.

The serum copper, zinc and iron levels, iron binding capacity and coeruloplasmin activity were determined in 28 maternal and cord bloods and in 50 infants and children. At the end of the gestation period the serum copper level increased, iron concentration remained unchanged while the level of zinc decreased significantly as compared to the values for healthy, non-pregnant women. Iron and zinc concentrations at birth were significantly higher in the newborn than in the mother, whereas the copper level amounted only to 20% of the maternal value. Subsequently, the copper level increased to reach the lower limit of healthy adults in the first to second year of life. The remarkably high neonatal zinc concentration fell significantly in the first 2 to 4 weeks of life and decreases to the normal adult level at one year of age. The changes in the trace element concentrations may be due to quantitative differences in the transporting proteins, variations in placental permeability and in the function of transfer proteins.