Fetal Nutrition Research Paper

On PC final edit

"new look" in human maternal-fetal nutrition

Low birth weight serum albumin and incidence of neonatal jaundice

Maternal nutrition is the most influential, nongenetic environmental factor for the growth of fetus during the course of pregnancy. Growth of the fetal tissue imposes metabolic alteration in mother’s body resulting in an increased demand for nutritional requirement. Though the human fetus synthesizes its own carbohydrates, fats and proteins form glucose, amino acids and other short chain metabolites supplied from the maternal circulation through placenta. (1. PAGE, E. W. Human fetal nutrition and growth. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 104: 378, 1969./ 2. Shelley H. J. Carbohydrate metabolism in the foetus and the newly

This was a prospective cohort study, carried out on mother baby pairs selected randomly from the delivery done at our hospital during the period of June 2009 to Dec 2012. The study protocol was reviewed and approved by Institutional ethics committee on the agreement that patient anonymity must be maintained, the finding would be treated with utmost confidentiality and for the purpose of this research only.

A total One hundred and twenty one (n=121) mother infants pairs were followed up at the time of birth and prospectively for the first 30 days of new born life with daily clinical examination. Infants with Rh incompatibility, congenital malformation, major systemic disease evident at birth and any unrelated complications arising during hospital stay were excluded from the

Apgar score was recorded with in 5 min of birth for all newborns by single examiner.

After obtaining informed consent from parent, 2 to 3 ml of cord blood was collected immediately after birth in the labor room. Newborns’ Blood groups were detected by Blood group typing antisera from Ortho diagnostics. Cord blood hemoglobin estimation was performed by Drabkin’s reagent supplied by Nice Company and CS-Albumin estimation by BCG dye binding method on Shimadzu-UV17000- spectrophotometer. Record of mother’s Serum Albumin and hemoglobin levels were obtained from the prenatal checkup file.

The neonates were followed up clinically for 30 post-natal days by our post graduate student in either neonatal ward or home for recording of their developmental parameters like weight gain, feeding habit, motor and nervous developments.

The data obtained was analyzed using Medcalc program, correlations of various parameters were statistically looked for and P value < 2500g Birthweight

>2500g Birthweight Total