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Original Research | Obstetrics and Gynecology | Volume 15 Issue 9, September 2026 | Pages: 580 - 587 | Iraq
Maternal Serum Concentrations of Micronutrients and Risk of Preterm Birth: A Case-Control Study
Abstract: Background: Micronutrients are essential inorganic constituents for human health although only needed in minute quantities. Suboptimal status of micronutrients, whether deficiency or excess, could lead to detrimental pregnancy outcome. Deficiency or toxicity of those elements could lead to preterm labor. Patient and Methods: This is a case-control study that included 80 patients (40 cases and 40 controls) and was conducted in Baghdad Teaching Hospital/ Medical city, Baghdad in the period from the 1st of January 2023 to the 30th of August 2023. Preterm birth was defined as birth at gestational age less than 37 weeks and term pregnancy ? 37 completed weeks. Testing for blood Copper, Zinc, Manganese, Cobalt, and iron levels were conducted in the Iraqi Poisoning Consultation Center of Baghdad Medical City. Results: The mean age of women with term labor was 28.7 ± 6.2 and among women with term labor was 27.3 ± 6.5 with no significant difference in mean of age between both groups (p=0.35). measurement of Hb among preterm group was 11.8 ± 1.4 while it was 12.9 ± 0.8 among term group with significant lower mean of Hb among preterm group (p=0.001). For BMI, it was 24 ± 3 among term group and 22.6 ± 2 among preterm group with no significant difference between both groups (p=0.056). The mean Copper level among term group (131.7 ± 16.7) was significantly lower than among preterm group (138.8 ± 10.6) (p=0.002). The mean of zinc level among preterm group (71.3 ± 11.4) was significantly lower than mean of term group (90.1 ± 21.4) (p=0.001). The mean manganese level among preterm group was 0.011 and among term group was 0.014 with no significant difference between both group (p=0.071). By studying the cobalt level, the mean of cobalt level among preterm cases (0.088 ± 0.02) was significant lower in compare to mean among term cases (0.099 ± 0.01) (p=0.029). The mean iron level among preterm cases (94.5 ± 20.6) was significantly lower in comparison to mean among term group (147.9 ± 18.8) (p=0.0001). Conclusion: Maternal blood Cobalt, Zinc, and Iron levels were significantly low among women with preterm birth in comparison to women with term birth. Copper level was significantly higher among women with preterm birth in comparison to women with term birth. However, majority of cases were fall with in normal range of Copper level.
Keywords: Micronutrients, Pregnancy, Preterm Mothers
How to Cite?: Dr. Shaden Jamal Mahmood, Dr. Najah Shaker Yassen, Dr. Nagham Ibrahim, "Maternal Serum Concentrations of Micronutrients and Risk of Preterm Birth: A Case-Control Study", Volume 15 Issue 9, September 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 580-587, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26903004000, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26903004000