American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 50, 945-954, Copyright © 1989 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc

ORIGINAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Adolescent pregnancy: associations among body weight, zinc nutriture, and pregnancy outcome

FF Cherry, HH Sandstead, P Rojas, LK Johnson, HK Batson and XB Wang
Department of Applied Health Sciences, Tulane University Medical Center, New Orleans.

In a double-blind zinc trial in low-income, pregnant adolescents thought to be at risk for poor zinc nutriture, subjects were randomly assigned to receive 30 mg zinc (gluconate) or placebo. Response to zinc was related to maternal weight. Infants of normal-weight mothers given zinc had reduced rates of prematurity (p = 0.05) and assisted respiration (p = 0.006). Underweight multiparas given zinc had longer gestational lengths (p = 0.008) than did subjects given the placebo. Multiple stepwise regression analysis, used to identify predictors of infant size, revealed that 14-26% more variance was accounted for in the zinc than in the placebo group. Except for gestational age, the predictors selected were entirely different in the two groups. The zinc group had a positive toxemia screen more often, which did not appear to affect outcome. Zinc supplementation improved pregnancy outcome in normal-weight women and in underweight multiparas. The nonresponse in underweight primiparas was perhaps due to multiple limiting factors.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. M. Black The Evidence Linking Zinc Deficiency with Children's Cognitive and Motor Functioning J. Nutr., May 1, 2003; 133(5): 1473S - 1476. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Castillo-Duran and G. Weisstaub Zinc Supplementation and Growth of the Fetus and Low Birth Weight Infant J. Nutr., May 1, 2003; 133(5): 1494S - 1497. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. L. Keen, M. S. Clegg, L. A. Hanna, L. Lanoue, J. M. Rogers, G. P. Daston, P. Oteiza, and J. Y. Uriu-Adams The Plausibility of Micronutrient Deficiencies Being a Significant Contributing Factor to the Occurrence of Pregnancy Complications J. Nutr., May 1, 2003; 133(5): 1597S - 1605. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. M. d. L. Costello and D. Osrin Micronutrient Status during Pregnancy and Outcomes for Newborn Infants in Developing Countries J. Nutr., May 1, 2003; 133(5): 1757S - 1764. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. C King Determinants of maternal zinc status during pregnancy Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2000; 71(5): 1334S - 1343. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. H. Sandstead, C. J. Frederickson, and J. G. Penland History of Zinc as Related to Brain Function J. Nutr., February 1, 2000; 130(2): 496 - 496. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				T. Tamura, R. L Goldenberg, K. E Johnston, and M. DuBard Maternal plasma zinc concentrations and pregnancy outcome1 Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, January 1, 2000; 71(1): 109 - 113. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. J. Osendarp, J. M. van Raaij, S. E Arifeen, M. Wahed, A. H Baqui, and G. J Fuchs A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of the effect of zinc supplementation during pregnancy on pregnancy outcome in Bangladeshi urban poor1 Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, January 1, 2000; 71(1): 114 - 119. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. S Golub, C. L Keen, and M E. Gershwin Behavioral and hematologic consequences of marginal iron-zinc nutrition in adolescent monkeys and the effect of a powdered beef supplement Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, December 1, 1999; 70(6): 1059 - 1068. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. E. Caulfield, N. Zavaleta, A. Figueroa, and Z. Leon Maternal Zinc Supplementation Does Not Affect Size at Birth or Pregnancy Duration in Peru J. Nutr., August 1, 1999; 129(8): 1563 - 1568. [Abstract] [Full Text]