Zinc status and cognitive function of pregnant women in Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

The relation between zinc status and cognitive function was examined in a cross-sectional study in the Sidama area of Southern Ethiopia. Pregnant women >24 weeks of gestation from three adjacent rural villages volunteered to participate. Mean (s.d.) plasma zinc of 99 women was 6.97 (1.07) μmol/l (below the cutoff of 7.6 μmol/l indicative of zinc deficiency at this stage of gestation). The Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM) test was administered individually. Scores for the Raven’s scale A, which is the simplest scale, ranged from 4 to 10 of a possible 12. Women with plasma zinc <7.6 μmol/l had significantly lower Raven’s CPM scale A scores than women with plasma zinc concentrations >7.6 μmol/l. Plasma zinc and maternal age and education predicted 17% of the variation in Raven’s CPM scale A scores. We conclude that zinc deficiency is a major factor affecting cognition in these pregnant women.

Prevalence of zinc deficiency and its association with dietary, serum albumin and intestinal parasitic infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care at the University of Gondar Hospital, Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia

“…The result of the present study was relatively similar with study conducted in Southern Ethiopia 53 % [12] and Nepal 61 % [20]. However, relatively lower than other reports from Ethiopia; prevalence of ZD was 76 % [30], 74 % [15] and 72 % [14] in Sidama and 66.7 % [13] in Gondar. It was also relatively lower than study from other countries, Kenya 66.9 % [16], Cameroon 82 % [18], and India 73.5 % [31].…”

Zinc-enriched fertilisers as a potential public health intervention in Africa

“…Zinc intakes and status can also be measured directly through analysis of dietary composites or concentration of Zn in blood plasma or serum samples. Through such methods, high prevalence of Zn deficiency have been reported previously in sub-populations in Burkina Faso (e.g., Müller et al 2003), Ethiopia (e.g., Abebe et al 2007;Kassu et al 2008;Stoecker et al 2009), Kenya (e.g., Siekmann et al 2003), Malawi (e.g., Siyame et al 2013), Nigeria (e.g., Gegios et al 2010, Tanzania (e.g., Veenemans et al 2011) and Zambia (e.g., Duggan et al 2005). New baseline Zn deficiency estimates correlated well with the IHME estimates of DALYs lost due to Zn deficiency (Spearman's Rank, r = 0.588, p =0.018, d.f.=9).…”

Neurodevelopment: The Impact of Nutrition and Inflammation During Preconception and Pregnancy in Low-Resource Settings

“…39 Pregnant women's scores on tests of cognitive function were significantly associated with plasma zinc concentrations as well as maternal age and education. 42 Their offspring had high rates of poor linear and ponderal growth status, 43 and delays in motor developmental milestones were more frequent in stunted infants compared with their nonstunted counterparts. 44 The findings in this series of reports from a single setting not only illustrate the intergenerational perpetuation of malnutrition and its effects in that particular context, but also represent a scenario that is common to impoverished environments with poor hygiene and sanitation and limited access to high-quality health care in addition to malnutrition.…”