Erythrocyte Indices, Microminerals and Ratios, Antioxidants and Lipids in Centrum Materna Diet-Supplemented Omani Mothers

Venous (maternal) and cord blood (neonatal) samples of Omani women who had a daily supplement of Centrum Materna multivitamin and multimineral tablet throughout pregnancy were investigated at late preterm (n=37) and at term (n=37) delivery for erythrocyte indices, micromineral, antioxidant, and lipid values. Hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HCT), mean cell volume (MCV), red cell distribution width (RDW), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), ceruloplasmin, erythrocyte Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu-Zn SOD), cholesterol, apolipoprotein (apo) A-I and apo B were measured by appropriate analytical systems. Cu/zinc and Cu/ceruloplasmin ratios were calculated. The erythrocyte indices were normal in neonatal blood but showed borderline anemia in maternal blood of both groups. There were significantly decreased values of Cu (P=0.012), Zn (P=0.001), apo A-I (P=0.029), and Cu/ceruloplasmin ratio (P=0.032) in late preterm compared to term mothers. Significantly decreased values of Cu (P=0.003), ceruloplasmin (P<0.0001), apo A-I (P=0.024), and Cu/Zn ratio (P=007) were observed in late preterm relative to term neonates. Late preterm mothers were significantly younger (P=0.027) than term mothers. Maternal age correlated positively with apo A-I (r=0.424, P=0.012) and negatively with Cu/Zn ratio (r=-0.353, P=0.040). The findings suggest that with daily dietary Centrum Materna supplementation throughout pregnancy, hematological indices were maintained within normal in mothers and neonates, but the levels of microminerals and micromineral ratios were subnormal in late preterm mothers and their neonates.