Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, 5005 North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, 5005 Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Nutrients. 2019 Jul 16;11(7):1609. doi: 10.3390/nu11071609.
Trace elements such as zinc, copper, and selenium are essential for reproductive health, but there is limited work examining how circulating trace elements may associate with fertility in humans. The aim of this study was to determine the association between maternal plasma concentrations of zinc, copper, and selenium, and time to pregnancy and subfertility. Australian women ( = 1060) who participated in the multi-centre prospective Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints study were included. Maternal plasma concentrations of copper, zinc and selenium were assessed at 15 ± 1 weeks' gestation. Estimates of retrospectively reported time to pregnancy were documented as number of months to conceive; subfertility was defined as taking more than 12 months to conceive. A range of maternal and paternal adjustments were included. Women who had lower zinc (time ratio, 1.20 (0.99-1.44)) or who had lower selenium concentrations (1.19 (1.01-1.40)) had a longer time to pregnancy, equivalent to a median difference in time to pregnancy of around 0.6 months. Women with low selenium concentrations were also at a 1.46 (1.06-2.03) greater relative risk for subfertility compared to women with higher selenium concentrations. There were no associations between copper and time to pregnancy or subfertility. Lower selenium and zinc trace element concentrations, which likely reflect lower dietary intakes, associate with a longer time to pregnancy. Further research supporting our work is required, which may inform recommendations to increase maternal trace element intake in women planning a pregnancy.
微量元素，如锌、铜和硒，对生殖健康至关重要，但目前关于循环微量元素如何与人类生育能力相关的研究还很有限。本研究旨在确定母体血浆中锌、铜和硒浓度与妊娠时间和生育能力的关系。纳入了参加多中心前瞻性妊娠终点筛查研究的澳大利亚女性（n=1060）。在妊娠 15±1 周时评估了母体血浆中铜、锌和硒的浓度。通过报告的受孕时间的回顾性估计来记录受孕时间；生育能力低下定义为受孕时间超过 12 个月。进行了一系列的母亲和父亲调整。与锌浓度较低的女性（时间比为 1.20（0.99-1.44））或硒浓度较低的女性（1.19（1.01-1.40））相比，受孕时间较长，受孕时间中位数差异约为 0.6 个月。与硒浓度较高的女性相比，硒浓度较低的女性生育能力低下的相对风险增加了 1.46（1.06-2.03）。铜与妊娠时间或生育能力低下之间没有关联。较低的硒和锌微量元素浓度可能反映了较低的饮食摄入量，与较长的妊娠时间相关。需要进一步的研究来支持我们的工作，这可能有助于为计划怀孕的女性增加母体微量元素摄入提供建议。
