Folic Acid, Zinc, Iodine, Selenium and Maternal Health

AIM: To review the findings of animalistic experiments and clinical trials about the folic acid, zinc, iodine, selenium and pregnant health, and make clear about the important effect of folic acid, zinc, iodine and selenium on pregnant health. METHODS: Using computer following websites were searched: www.xjmu.edu.cn/lib/Iib.htm springerlink.lib.tsinghua.edu. cn with the key words of folic acid, zinc, iodine, selenium and pregnant health published from 1996 to 2006. Simultaneously, the correlated magazines and the books were manually retrieved to collect the correlated articles about the micronutrients and health of pregnant women, including findings of animal experiments and clinical trials. RESULTS: Full-texts of the collected articles of folic acid, zinc, iodine and selenium with pregnant health were searched. On the basis of choice and analysis, the repetition or the similar researches were excluded. Finally 16 literatures were refined to carry on the classified reorganization for review. Due to the needs of the growth and development of fetus, the requirement of micronutrient of pregnant women was increasing. If nutritional supplement was inadequate this time, it would result in the deficiency of nutrients, which would increase the occurrence of harmful pregnant outcome. Folic acid belonged to Vitamin B was the termini generales of the compounds those had pterolyglutamic acid. In vivo, the activity pattern was tetrahydrofolic acid. It played an important role as one carbon unit in biosynthesis in vivo. The typical clinical manifestation of famine of folic acid was megaloblastic anaemia. For the mother lacked of folate, the abnormity rate of neural tube of their children manifestly raised up. Accordingly anencephaly, dropsy of brain and cleft spine occurred. It was one of the main reasons of abortion, perinatal infant, infant death and permanent disability. Sufficient quantum of zinc could promote the growth and development of fetus, and it was very important in the formation of organ in early duration of pregnancy. Animal experiments discovered that sufficient zinc of pregnant women could promote the growth and development of fetus and prevent congenital deformity. Short .or high of zinc could influence the synthesis of protein and nucleinic acid. Because of the phytate in dietary, the absorption rate of zinc declined. If the pregnant women lacked of iodine, it also might injury the fetal development, causing the neonatus' growth injury, especially nerve and muscle, It might cause low cognitive ability and increased the mortality in embryonic stage and perinatal stage. Therefore, pregnant women should be guided to raise iodine nutrition. Meanwhile, pregnant women lacked of iodine should be also guided to sume Operand.