We hypothesize , therefore , that zinc homeostatic adjustments during pregnancy and lactation improve zinc utilization sufficiently to provide the increased zinc needs in these stages and , therefore , mitigate immediate detrimental effects due to a low zinc intake .
Zinc plays critical roles during embryogenesis , fetal growth , and milk secretion , which increase the zinc need for pregnancy and lactation .
Increased needs can be met by increasing the dietary zinc intake , along with making homeostatic adjustments in zinc utilization .
Potential homeostatic adjustments include changes in circulating zinc , increased zinc absorption , decreased zinc losses , and changes in whole body zinc kinetics .
Although severe zinc deficiency during pregnancy has devastating effects , systematic review s and meta- analysis of the effect of maternal zinc supplementation on pregnancy outcomes have consistently shown a limited benefit .
The specific questions addressed are the following : How is zinc utilization altered during pregnancy and lactation ?
Are those homeostatic adjustments influenced by maternal zinc status , dietary zinc , or zinc supplementation ?
Adding zinc to prenatal iron and folate supplements improves maternal and neonatal zinc status in a Peruvian population.
BACKGROUND Maternal zinc deficiency during pregnancy may be widespread among women in developing countries , but few data are available on whether prenatal zinc supplementation improves maternal and neonatal zinc status . OBJECTIVE We studied whether maternal zinc supplementation improved the zinc status of mothers and neonates participating in a supplementation trial in a shantytown in Lima , Peru . DESIGN Beginning at gestation week 10 - 24 , 1295 mothers were r and omly assigned to receive prenatal supplements containing 60 mg Fe and 250 microg folate , with or without 15 mg Zn .  Venous blood and urine sample s were collected at enrollment , at gestation week 28 - 30 , and at gestation week 37 - 38 . At birth , a sample of cord vein blood was collected . We measured serum zinc concentrations in 538 women , urinary zinc concentrations in 521 women , and cord zinc concentrations in 252 neonates . RESULTS At 28 - 30 and 37 - 38 wk , mothers receiving zinc supplements had higher serum zinc concentrations than mothers who did not receive zinc ( 8.8 + /- 1.9 compared with 8.4 + /- 1.5 micromol/L and 8.6 + /- 1.5 compared with 8.3 + /- 1.4 micromol/L , respectively ) . Urinary zinc concentrations were also higher in mothers who received supplemental zinc ( P < 0.05 ) . After adjustment for covariates and confounding factors , neonates of mothers receiving zinc supplements had higher cord zinc concentrations than neonates of mothers who did not receive zinc ( 12.7 + /- 2.3 compared with 12.1 + /- 2.1 micromol/L ) . Despite supplementation , maternal and neonatal zinc concentrations remained lower than values reported for well-nourished population s. CONCLUSION Adding zinc to prenatal iron and folate tablets improved maternal and neonatal zinc status , but higher doses of zinc are likely needed to further improve maternal and neonatal zinc status in this population
We hypothesize , therefore , that zinc homeostatic adjustments during pregnancy and lactation improve zinc utilization sufficiently to provide the increased zinc needs in these stages and , therefore , mitigate immediate detrimental effects due to a low zinc intake .
Zinc plays critical roles during embryogenesis , fetal growth , and milk secretion , which increase the zinc need for pregnancy and lactation .
Increased needs can be met by increasing the dietary zinc intake , along with making homeostatic adjustments in zinc utilization .
Potential homeostatic adjustments include changes in circulating zinc , increased zinc absorption , decreased zinc losses , and changes in whole body zinc kinetics .
Although severe zinc deficiency during pregnancy has devastating effects , systematic review s and meta- analysis of the effect of maternal zinc supplementation on pregnancy outcomes have consistently shown a limited benefit .
The specific questions addressed are the following : How is zinc utilization altered during pregnancy and lactation ?
Are those homeostatic adjustments influenced by maternal zinc status , dietary zinc , or zinc supplementation ?