Zinc and copper concentration in plasma of pregnant women in Nigeria.

The concentration of plasma zinc and copper were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 58 Nigerian women at various times in pregnancy and compared with those of 11 non-pregnant controls. The results showed 67.5% decrease in zinc and 100% increase in copper over non-pregnant levels at the end of pregnancy. The mean plasma zinc levels were appreciably lower and copper the same as published values for Caucasian women at similar periods in pregnancy. Furthermore, there was no correlation between plasma zinc and copper and neonatal birthweight. We conclude that (1) a significant proportion of pregnant women in Nigeria have biochemical hypozincemia; (2) this hypozincemia is not responsible for fetal growth retardation in this population and (3) there is at present no justification for giving routine zinc supplementation to pregnant women in Nigeria.