Progesterone, selected heavy metals and micronutrients in pregnant Nigerian women with a history of recurrent spontaneous abortion.
BACKGROUND
Environmental and endocrine factors have been implicated in the aetiology of recurrent abortion, with poorly understood roles. Luteal phase insufficiency marked with insufficient progesterone secretion has been reported.


OBJECTIVE
To define the involvement of progesterone, trace metals, and Vitamin E in pregnant women with history of recurrent spontaneous abortion.


METHODS
Convenience sampling method was used to recruit 69 pregnant women aged 21-41 years with gestational age of 0-20 weeks in this case-control study. Thirty five (cases) and thirty four (controls) had previous and no history of recurrent spontaneous abortion respectively. Demographic characteristics and 10 mls of blood samples were obtained from each subject. Serum obtained was used for the determination of progesterone, zinc, copper, selenium, iron, magnesium, manganese, chromium, lead, cadmium, and serum vitamin E by standard methods.


RESULTS
Results showed statistically significant decreases (p<0.05) in the serum zinc, copper, and vitamin E and a significant elevation (p<0.05) in the serum selenium, lead, and cadmium in cases compared with controls. Insignificant decrease (p=0.07) was observed in the serum progesterone when cases were compared with controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that elevated serum heavy metals (cadmium and lead) and reduction of essential micronutrients (zinc, copper and vitamin E) may contribute to recurrent spontaneous abortion.
Department of Chemical Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
O O
OO
Ajayi
M A
MA
Charles-Davies
O G
OG
Arinola
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000097:blood* / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis; D044383:Black People; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000097:blood*; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*; D012008:Recurrence; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
D000975:Antioxidants; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D018977:Micronutrients; D014810:Vitamin E; D011374:Progesterone