Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Njegoševa 4, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Nutrients. 2022 Nov 4;14(21):4667. doi: 10.3390/nu14214667.
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.
微量元素，包括锌（Zn）和铜（Cu），已知在人类健康中发挥重要作用。本研究旨在评估斯洛文尼亚研究人群中脐带血和母乳中 Zn 和 Cu 的水平，并分析它们与母婴特征和妊娠结局的关系。该研究纳入了 324 名母亲，但只有 243 名母亲提供了脐带血和母乳中 Zn 和 Cu 水平的数据。问卷调查用于评估母亲的社会人口统计学和健康状况、生活方式习惯（包括详细的营养习惯）以及她们的居住和职业史。电感耦合等离子体质谱法（ICP-MS）用于测量脐带血和母乳中的 Zn 和 Cu 水平。脐带血中 Zn 水平较低与胎龄较小和出生体重较低有关，并且与小胎龄儿（SGA）出生的概率增加相关。母亲吸烟会影响脐带血和母乳中的 Cu 水平。与不吸烟的母亲相比，吸烟母亲的脐带血 Cu 水平较高，母乳中的 Cu 水平较低。最重要的是，脐带血中的 Zn/Cu 比值降低与胎龄较小和出生体重较低有关。这表明 Zn 对妊娠结局有积极影响，Cu 有负面影响。
