Serum levels of trace elements in diabetic pregnant women and their relationship with growth indicators in newborns

Abstract

Intrauterine life is a critical and sensitive period during which the fetus is particularly vulnerable to external influences such as trace elements. Therefore, this research focuses on a group of diabetic and non-diabetic mothers to clarify the impacts of maternal trace element status on neonatal outcomes. This case–control study involved 111 pregnant women—57 with diabetes and 54 without—as well as their infants. Maternal blood samples were collected before delivery, and the serum levels of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and arsenic (As) were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Demographic data were recorded using a checklist, and after birth, the infants’ height, weight, and head circumference were measured. There were no statistically significant differences in the trace element levels between the two groups. In the non-diabetic group, only the correlation between Cu concentration and head circumference was significant (r = − 0.33, P = 0.015). In the diabetic group, there were significant inverse relationships between the concentrations of Cu and Fe with growth parameters, specifically for Fe and birth weight (r = − 0.265, P = 0.047), for Fe and head circumference (r = − 0.314, P = 0.017), for Cu and birth weight (r = − 0.374, P = 0.004), and for Cu and head circumference (r = − 0.345, P = 0.009). Additionally, a positive and significant relationship was found between Cr levels and the weight, height, and head circumference of the infants. Based on the results of multivariate regression analysis, among diabetic mothers, elevated Cu levels negatively impacted both the weight and head circumference of the infants and Cr concentration positively correlated with birth length, while exposure to cigarette smoke adversely affected the infants’ weight. These findings highlight the importance of maternal health, particularly the status of trace elements and lifestyle factors such as smoking, in influencing neonatal outcomes.