Effect of maternal zinc supplementation on pregnancy complications and outcomes - A Randomized Controlled Trial in a Tertiary Care Hospital

·       All the eligible pregnant women were screened for Zn levels, those below normal Reference range.

·       Investigator will provide monthly supply of zinc to the pregnant women and instructed the women to consume one tablet daily between meals and not together with other vitamin or mineral supplements. Compliance with this regimen was assessed by counting the remaining tablets in each strip at the next visit.

·       Its A Randomized controlled Clinical Trial (double blinded) in Government general Hospital, Kakinada  for a period of   One year  among  Pregnant women who are  attending OBG OPD, GGH, Kakinada.

·       Pregnant women carrying a singleton foetus, at 12–16 wks of gestation , willing to have their delivery in Kakinada and provided informed written consent will be included. Having  History of renal disease, hypertension and diabetes were excluded

·       Pregnant women would be consecutively assigned into study and control group. Zn estimation was done at the time of enrollment, at 28wks of gestation and at the time of delivery (3times). For The intervention arm  Zinc supplementation would be given at the time of enrollment  into the study and continued till delivery (maximum of 28wks)-30mg elemental Znso4/day .

·       Maternal outcome Measures: PIH, Pre-eclampsia, premature rupture of membrane, APH, PPH, caesarean, instrumental delivery

·       Neonatal  Outcome Measures : Stillbirth, neonatal death, preterm birth , small for gestational age (SGA), low birth weight (LBW), length and head circumference, 5-minute APGAR  score , MUAC.