title: Blood copper, zinc, calcium, and magnesium levels during different duration of pregnancy in Chinese.
abstract: Concentrations of various trace elements are altered during pregnancy with changes in the mother's physiology and the requirements of growing fetus. The aim of the present longitudinal study was to learn the changes of trace element copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) of normal pregnant woman during different durations of pregnancy and establish the reference values of changes of statistical significance. Blood samples were obtained from 128 normal pregnant women during early (10-14th week), mid (20-24th week), and late (30-34th week) pregnancy and 6-12th week postpartum and 120 healthy unpregnant healthy women. The full blood concentrations of chosen elements were measured by means of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Changes on levels of Cu, Ca, and Mg during all the three durations of pregnancy and Zn during mid and late pregnancy and postpartum were of statistical significance and new reference values of them were set in the present study. These new reference values will be helpful in assessing the health status of pregnant women with a socioeconomic and racial background similar to those of our study participants and give treatments to them promptly.
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, No 20, Section 3, Ren Min Nan Lu, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, People's Republic of China.
authors: Jinhao
authors: J
authors: Liu
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Yang
authors: Hua
authors: H
authors: Shi
authors: Chuan
authors: C
authors: Shen
authors: Wenjie
authors: W
authors: Zhou
authors: Qingkai
authors: Q
authors: Dai
authors: Yongmei
authors: Y
authors: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D002681:China; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011264:Pregnancy Trimesters / Q000097:blood; D012016:Reference Values; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D008274:Magnesium; D015032:Zinc; D002118:Calcium