Abstract

Prof. Dr. Tripti Rani Das, Dr. Bidisha Chakma, Dr. Sabiha Islam, Dr. Jinat Fatema, Dr. Iffat Rahman,
Dr. Dipika Majumder, Dr. Shah Noor Sharmin and Dr. Tanzina Iveen Chowdhury*

ABSTRACT

Background: Preterm birth is key global sponsor to neonatal morbidity and mortality, principally in low-resource location like Bangladesh. Zinc, a critical trace element, plays a vital rol in immune modulation, antioxidant defense, and cellular growth in pregnancy. The association between maternal serum zinc levels and preterm birth remains explored in south Asian peoples. Aim: To determine the association of serum zinc levels between the mothers with preterm and term birth. Methods: This case-control study was conducted from September 2022 to August 2023 at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Bangladesh Medical University (BMU). A total of 68 postpartum women were purposively enrolled, comprising 34 with preterm births (cases) and 34 with term births (controls). Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected through interviews and record reviews. Associations were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0, with a significance threshold of p<0.05. Results: A Statistically significant association was observed between low maternal serum zinc levels and preterm birth (p=0.000, Fisher’s Exact Test). Zinc Levels were significant lower among mother of preterm infants compared to term counterparts. Higher zinc levels correlated positively with gestational age (p=0.000), birth weight (p=0.000), and better APGAR score at 1 and 5 minutes. The Cesarean section was more common with mothers with high zinc levels and full-term deliveries. Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission was significantly associated with both lower zinc levels and poorer neonatal outcomes (p=0.000). Conclusion: Maternal zinc deficiency is significantly associated with preterm delivery and harmful neonatal outcomes in this study. These findings emphasize the need for regular zinc status assessment in antenatal care and importance of supplementation strategies to decrease preterm bith risk and improve perinatal outcomes in nutritionally vulnerable populations.