Trace Elements in Meconium from Preterm and Full-Term Infants

Meconium samples from 23 preterm infants (birth weight = 1,097 +/- 359 g; gestational age 29 +/- 3 weeks, mean +/- SD) and 27 full-term infants (3,453 +/- 476 g; 39.5 +/- 1 weeks) were analyzed for zinc, copper, manganese, chromium and iron by atomic absorption spectrometry. Compared to meconium from preterm infants, full-term infants had an elevated (p less than 0.05) total excretion (microgram) of zinc (957 +/- 545 vs. 503 +/- 506), copper (245 +/- 256 vs. 128 +/- 94) and manganese (62 +/- 55 vs. 29 +/- 29), but not iron (190 +/- 147 vs. 332 +/- 532) or chromium (0.4 +/- 0.19 vs. 0.75 +/- 1.0). Two preterm infants had high losses (1.5 and 2 mg) of iron in their meconium. Zinc, copper and manganese losses into meconium appear to increase with gestation, whereas iron and chromium losses occur early in gestation and may be reabsorbed by term.