Current study designed to assess the status of zinc and copper in women with preterm labour compared to women with term labour. 100 pregnant (50 in preterm labor and 50 in term labour) included in this study. Both study & control group age and parity are matched. Micronutrients Cu & Zn levels (both in maternal serum & fetal umbilical cord) are studied in both groups along with other measures. Normal serum copper level range in pregnancy is taken as 85-170 µg/dl. And umbilical cord copper range as 60-90 µg/dl. Maternal serum copper levels are high in study group (preterm group-114.9) compared to control group (term mothers-108.5) the with an insignificant p value of 0.540. Whereas, umbilical cord copper levels are less in study group (57.7) compared to control group (73.6) (p=0.0001). This implies that placental transport system changes during the latter stages of the development resulting in the transport of higher copper values towards the end of gestation than that of earlier pregnancy. Another finding observed was, umbilical cord copper is less than the maternal copper irrespective of period of gestation. Serum zinc values in term pregnancy is taken as 78- 132 µg/dl. Maternal serum zinc levels are high in control group (103.7) than in study group (91.8) (p=0.0001). In the same way umbilical cord zinc levels are more in control group (121.6) than in study group (101.2) (p=0.0001. Another finding was umbilical cord zinc levels are less than the maternal zinc levels irrespective of period of gestation. In present study, relationship of birth weight with maternal and umbilical cord copper was observed. Umbilical cord copper levels had a positive correlation with birth weight (p=0.001). In the same way, relationship of birth weight with maternal and umbilical cord zinc was observed. The study showed that maternal serum zinc levels had positive correlation with birth weight (p=0.0001). Umbilical cord zinc levels also had a positive correlation with birth weight, with a significant (p=0.0001). In the present study maternal/neonatal complications vs. Preterm and term was studied, which showed that higher neonatal complications occurred in preterm neonates (26%) compared to term neonates (10%) with a significant (p=0.03). In the same way, higher maternal complications occurred in preterm mothers (18%) compared to term mothers (6%) with a significant (p=0.03). No studies were available in literature regarding copper, zinc deficiency in relation to development of neonatal complications. Neonatal complications in relation to maternal serum and umbilical cord blood levels of copper and zinc were studied. The mean values of maternal serum and umbilical cord blood levels of both copper and zinc were found to be less in cases with fetal complications (p=0.0001).

Keywords: Micronutrients; fetal growth; maternal outcome.