Pakistan Journal of Nutrition 15 (6): 585-589, 2016 ISSN 1680-5194 © Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2016 Corresponding Author: M.A. Emokpae, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria 585 Levels of Some Essential Elements in Pregnant Women and Association with Low Birth Weight of Babies in Benin City Osaretin James Agbonlahor and Mathias Abiodun Emokpae 1 2 Department of Medical Laboratory Services, Stella Obasanjo Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria 1 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, 2 University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria Abstract: Poor foetal growth and development has been associated with maternal inadequate or under- nutrition. There is no agreement as to whether dietary macro and micro-nutrient supplementation in pregnancy enhance neonatal birth weight. This study evaluates the levels of magnesium, calcium, albumin and phosphorus in pregnant women at delivery, the proportion of the neonates with low birth weight and the relationship between these essential elements and neonatal birth weight. A total of 300 subjects were enrolled, which included 200 healthy pregnant women and 100 age-matched non-pregnant women (controls). The concentrations of essential elements in maternal blood were measured using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry and colorimetric methods. The concentrations of magnesium and albumin were significantly (p<0.001) higher in women who had babies with low birth weight than those had normal birth weight. Conversely, calcium (p = 0.002) and phosphorus (p<0.001) levels were significantly lower in women who had babies with low birth weight compared with those that had babies with normal birth weight. The levels of measured variables in the pregnant women at delivery were significantly lower (p<0.001) compared with controls. Supplementation of some of these essential elements may help to prevent the delivery of infants with low birth weight. Therefore measurement of these essential elements may be considered important as part of the routine antenatal investigations. Key words: Pregnant women, essential elements, infants and low birth weight INTRODUCTION It is universally accepted that adequate nutrition before and during pregnancy could greatly affect the health of both mother and infants (Singh et al., 2009). A well nourished women before conception begins her pregnancy with reserved of essential nutrients such that the growth and well being of the growing foetus and good health of the women is achieved. A neonate who was well nourished in the womb stands a better chance of becoming healthy after birth than that who was malnourished. Poor foetal growth and development has been associated with maternal inadequate or under- nutrition (Khoushabi and Saraswathi, 2010). There is no agreement as to whether dietary macro and micro- nutrient supplementation in pregnancy enhance neonatal birth weight (Muthayya, 2009). However, it was suggested that nutritional deficiency may be responsible for up to 60% of the reported variations in birth weight. It also observed that high intake of calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc significantly affect the birth weight of infants (Khoushabi and Saraswathi, 2010). The prevalence of low birth weight (LBW) varies from one region to another and the estimated prevalence is particularly high in developing countries. The prevalence of 15-30% was reported in India (Kapil, 2009), Sri Lanka, Nepal and UNICEF/WHO estimated figure for Sub-Sahara Africa (Mavalankar et al., 1992; UNICEF and WHO, 2004). The Nigerian Demographic Health Survey put the incidence of LBW as 14% (655 per 1000) (NPC and ORC Macro, 2009). Magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and albumin are essential elements of nutrition required for cell multiplication in a growing fetus, proper soft tissue functioning during muscle contraction, bone formation in fetus, hormone release and other physiological actions (Mariko et al., 2011). The demand for these essential elements is higher during pregnancy. Therefore, a pregnant woman requires more of these nutrients (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and albumin) than a non-pregnant woman (Baig et al., 2003). Previous studies on the association of these essential elements with neonatal birth weight and thus the need for supplementation during pregnancy had yielded inconsistent results. Some of them reported that LBW was associated with low levels of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and albumin in maternal blood (Baba et al., 2012; Mariko et al., 2011; Merialdi et al., 2003; Baig et al., 2003; Stephenson and Symonds, 2002). Others did not find any association of these elements with infant birth weight (Pourarian et al., 2014; Pathak and Kapil, 2004). In Nigeria, Baba et al. (2012) examined the correlation of