Effect of nutrition on serum zinc concentration during pregnancy in Turkish women.

The serum zinc concentration in 101 pregnant women and 40 control subjects were determined by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The zinc levels were significantly low in 30 poorly nourished pregnant women compared to controls (P less than 0.01), whereas there was no statistical difference between the normal mean zinc values and that of well-nourished pregnant women (P greater than 0.05). This study revealed that nutrition is an important factor during pregnancy among Turkish women. In view of severe teratogenic effects of maternal zinc depletion in experimental animals as well as epidemiological evidence that maternal zinc deficiency could be a cause of severe congenital malformations of the central nervous system in humans, more extensive studies are definitely needed in Turkey.