Effect of maternal age on cord blood nutrients and birth weight at term
I. Onyesom1 , A.E. Oshunloye1 , U.E. Uzuegbu1 and S.M. Suru2 *
1
Department of Medical Biochemistry,
Delta State University,
Abraka
2
Nutritional Biochemistry Unit, Department of Biochemistry,
University of Ibadan,
Ibadan
http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CWE.3.1.04
Adequate nutrition has been reported to increase the frame size and birth weight of neonates at term. These anthropometric measures have been used to predict foetal growth and well-being. It has been observed that the amounts of maternal serum and cord blood glucose influence these anthropometric parameters. Therefore, this study reports the relationship between maternal age and some biochemical indices of foetal nutrition (maternal serum and cord blood glucose, and birth weight at term). Pregnant subjects between 15 and 45 years, and who were about to be delivered were selected from the Labour room, Central Hospital, Warri, Delta State, Nigeria. Cases of complications and disease conditions were excluded. Weight and age-matched, non-pregnant women in apparent good health were randomly recruited as control subjects. The results show that younger (15-19years) and older (40-45years) pregnant women had reduced blood glucose (4.42±1.31mmol/L: R>0.05 and 3.52±1.49mmol/L: R>0.05) levels, and this consequently, reduced babies cord blood glucose (3.28±0.98mmol/L:R<0.05 and 2.81±0.79mmol//L:R<0.05) and birth weight (3.28±0.77kg and 3.10±0.63kg) at term. Maternal serum glucose of the pregnant women between 20-39 years was 4.65±1.39mmol/L. The cord blood glucose and birth weight of their neonates at tem were 3.51±1.16mmol/L and 3.48±0.70kg. Special prenatal care should be given to these categories of pregnant women (15-19 and 40-45years) in Nigeria, in order to minimize or if possible, eliminate the medical complications associated with small foetal size and low birth weight.
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vol3no1/CWEVO3NO1P27-30.pdf Onyesom I, Oshunloye A.E, Uzuegbu U.E, Suru S.M. Effect of maternal age on cord blood nutrients and birth weight at term. Curr World Environ 2008;3(1):27-30 DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CWE.3.1.04
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Onyesom I, Oshunloye A.E, Uzuegbu U.E, Suru S.M. Effect of maternal age on cord blood nutrients and birth weight at term. Curr World Environ 2008;3(1):27-30. Available from: http://www.cwejournal.org/?p=734
