Woman Ferty Plus

WHO Report: Zinc is an essential mineral known to be important for many biological functions including protein synthesis, cellular division and nucleic acid metabolism.
1 Severe zinc deficiency is rare in humans, but mild to moderate deficiency may be common, especially in populations with low consumption of zinc-rich animal-source foods and high intakes of foods rich in phytates, which inhibit zinc absorption.
2 It is estimated that over 80% of pregnant women worldwide have inadequate zinc intake
3, consuming on average 9.6 mg zinc per day, well below the recommended minimum daily levels for the last two trimesters of pregnancy in settings of low zinc bioavailability.
4, It has been suggested that maternal zinc deficiency may compromise infant development and lead to poor birth outcomes. Low plasma zinc concentrations reduce placental zinc transport and may affect the supply of zinc to the fetus.1 Zinc deficiency also alters circulating levels of a number of hormones associated with the onset of labour, and because zinc is essential for normal immune function, deficiency may contribute to systemic and intra-uterine infections, both major causes of pre-term birth. Low birthweight and prematurity are significant risk factors for neonatal and infant morbidity and mortality. It has been hypothesized that zinc supplementation may improve pregnancy outcomes for mothers and infants.