Levels of Cu, Zn, and Se in Maternal and Cord Blood in Normal and Pathological Pregnancies: A Narrative Review

Copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se) play a pivotal role in pregnancy. Both a deficiency and an excess of Cu, Zn, and Se have deleterious consequences for the outcome of pregnancy. Accordingly, maintaining optimal levels of circulating Cu, Zn, and Se is critical for proper fetal growth and development. However, to our knowledge, this is the first narrative global review that not only summarizes Cu, Zn, and Se levels in maternal and cord blood but also examines their associations with multiple adverse pregnancy outcomes. Thus, this up-to-date review seeks to address these key questions. To achieve these goals, literature was collected from the past several decades from three relevant databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library), and rigorous exclusion and inclusion criteria were set for peer-reviewed studies that met the requirements for a final inclusion in the review analysis. In this study, data is presented on the levels of Cu, Zn, and Se in maternal and cord blood across the globe (herein used to suggest optimal maternal levels for Cu, Zn, and Se during a normal, healthy pregnancy), elemental differences between maternal and cord blood, and the fluctuations of their blood levels depending on the trimester of pregnancy. In addition, the review presents findings on the effects of Cu, Zn, and Se on birth weight and anthropometric parameters of newborns, as well as on preterm birth, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, neural tube defects, and congenital heart defects.