Selenium and vitamin E in cord blood from preterm and full term infants.

Selenium was determined in erythrocytes and serum, and vitamin E and beta-lipoprotein in serum from cord blood samples of 31 full term and 20 preterm infants. Venous samples from 21 mothers at birth and 15 normal adult women were also analyzed. No difference for either selenium or vitamin E was found between the preterm and full term infants. The selenium concentration in red blood cells was the same for newborn, mothers at birth, and normal adult women. The serum concentration of selenium was, however, significantly lower in the newborn, the mean level in the children being 64% of that in the mothers. The level in the mothers did not differ from that in non-pregnant women. The vitamin E concentration was found to correlate very well with the beta-lipoprotein concentration. This indicates that differences in the transport capacity account for the large difference in the serum tocopherol levels of mothers at birth and newborn.