title: Serum levels of some micronutrients and congenital malformations: a prospective cohort study in healthy saudi-arabian first-trimester pregnant women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Various studies have linked vitamin deficiencies in early pregnancy with birth defects. The objective of this study was to identify the relationship between micronutrient deficiency and congenital malformations (CM).
  
  
  METHODS
  There were 1,180 healthy, first-trimester pregnant Saudi-Arabian females selected from the antenatal care clinics of two hospitals and 21 health care centers located all over the city. Their full medical history, clinical examination, anthropometry, and various laboratory analyses were completed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-eight infants were born with CM. The serum concentrations of the analyzed nutrients (selenium, zinc, magnesium, and vitamins A, E, B12, and folic acid) were significantly lower in mothers of infants with CM compared to the mothers of infants without CM. In comparison, the serum totals of homocysteine (tHcy) levels were significantly higher among the CM group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights the association of CM with the deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals among pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Clinical Nutrition Department, Taibah University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Sahar A Ibrahim
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hammouda
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Nursing Department, Taibah University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Om Alsaad Farouk
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Abd Al-Halim
authors.affiliation: Deanery of Academic Services, Chemistry for Health Sciences Department, Taibah University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ahmed M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mohamadin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D005492:Folic Acid; D012643:Selenium; D008274:Magnesium; D015032:Zinc; D014805:Vitamin B 12
keywords: Congenital malformations; folic acid; magnesium; pregnancy nutrition; selenium; vitamin A; vitamin B12; vitamin E; zinc