title: The effect of parity on maternal body mass index, plasma mineral element status and new-born anthropometrics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adverse pregnancy outcome is an important public health problem that has been partly associated with increasing maternal parity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of parity on maternal body mass index (BMI), mineral element status and newborn anthropometrics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for 349 pregnant women previously studied for the impacts of maternal plasma mineral element status on pregnancy and its outcomes was analysed. Obstetric and demographic data and 5mls of blood samples were obtained from each subject. Blood lead, plasma copper, iron and zinc were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maternal BMI increases with parity. Women with parity two had significantly higher plasma zinc but lower plasma copper with comparable levels of the elements in nulliparous and higher parity groups. Although plasma iron was comparable among the groups, blood lead was significantly higher in parity > three. Newborn birth length increases with parity with a positive correlation between parity and maternal BMI (r = 0.221; p = 0.001) and newborn birth length (r = 0.170; p = 0.002) while plasma copper was negatively correlated with newborn's head circumference (r = -0.115; p = 0.040).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is plausible that parity affects maternal BMI and newborn anthropometrics through alterations in maternal plasma mineral element levels. While further studies are desired to confirm the present findings, there is need for pregnant and would-be pregnant women to diversify their diet to optimize their mineral element status.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, Ebonyi State University, P.M.B. 053, Abakalik i, Nigeria; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Emmanuel I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Ugwuja
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Richard C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Nnabu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Paul O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Ezeonu
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Mobilisation and Disease Control, National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uro-Chukwu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D009549:Nigeria; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D055815:Young Adult; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients; D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron; D015032:Zinc
keywords: BMI; Maternal parity; Nigeria; mineral element status; newborn anthropometrics; pregnant women