Zinc status of pregnant alcoholic women: a determinant of fetal outcome.

The zinc status of 25 alcoholic and 25 non-alcoholic pregnant women was measured and correlated with fetal outcome. The volume index of alcohol consumption and the Michigan Alcoholic Screening Test were used to define alcoholic women. The alcoholic women had significantly lower plasma-zinc levels that the non-alcoholic women (50.7 versus 72.2 micrograms/dl). Fetal cord-plasma zinc levels were also lower in the offspring of alcoholic women (65.5 versus 81.3 micrograms/dl). Manifestation of fetal dysmorphogenesis appears to relate to zinc status.