Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
203,234 studies31 sourcesUpdated 29 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0PLOS One

Fluctuations of micronutrients during pregnancy in Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China: A prospective longitudinal cohort study

  • Lianshuai Zheng1
  • Xiaolun Xu2
  • Xueyuan Rong3
  • Jian Luo
  • Guoqing Chen
  • Cheng Zhao
  1. 1Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China
  2. 2Lianyungang Research Institute for Women’s and Children’s Health, Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China
  3. 3Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China
Open at sourcePDFDOICite

Abstract

Pregnancy is accompanied by substantial physiological adaptations that may alter maternal micronutrient concentrations. A prospective longitudinal pregnancy-neonatal cohort of 51 healthy pregnant women was established at 6–8 weeks of gestation in Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China, confirmed by fetal heart and bud on B-ultrasound. Pregnancy complications, outcomes, and neonatal health at day 42 were confirmed. Forty-three women who completed all assessments and had uncomplicated pregnancies with favorable maternal and neonatal outcomes were included in the final analysis. Whole-blood trace elements and serum vitamins were quantified during the first trimester (12.3 ± 0.9 weeks), second trimester (25.6 ± 1.2 weeks), and third trimester (32.7 ± 2.3 weeks) using ICP-MS and UHPLC-MS/MS. The results showed that copper, calcium, and vitamin D peaked in the second trimester, whereas iron, zinc, magnesium, and lead reached their nadir in the second trimester. Meanwhile, manganese and vitamins E and K increased progressively throughout gestation. In contrast, several B vitamins showed an overall downward trend, while vitamin B12 remained relatively stable. These findings demonstrate clear trimester-specific changes in maternal micronutrient levels during healthy pregnancy. Given the relatively small sample size, these longitudinal data provide preliminary evidence to inform the establishment of region-specific and trimester-specific reference intervals and deficiency thresholds for micronutrients in healthy pregnant women.

Related

  1. Prospective Longitudinal Assessment of Central Hemodynamic Profile in Normotensive, Hypertensive and Preeclamptic Women in Pregnancy and Postpartum
    Ludwina Szczepaniak-Chicheł, Dawid Lipski, Paweł Uruski +1
    Journal of Clinical MedicinePeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Obstetrics, gynaecology & paediatricsCrossref
  2. Fluctuations correlates in advanced dementia with Lewy bodies: A longitudinal study.
    Melissa J Armstrong, Tingchang Wang, Tracy Tholanikunnel +5
    Alzheimer's & dementia (Amsterdam, Netherlands)Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDFull textPsychiatry & mental healthEurope PMCPMC
  3. Investigation into biomarkers to predict preterm birth (INSIGHT): a longitudinal UK pregnancy cohort for spontaneous preterm birth research
    Raphaella Jackson, Carlotta Valensin, Evonne Chin-Smith +4
    Frontiers in reproductive healthPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMC
  4. Predictors of Preeclampsia and Pregnancy Associated Outcomes Among Pregnant Women: A Prospective Cohort Study in Selected Hospitals in Kiambu County, Kenya
    J. Mukala
    medRxivPreprintAll rights reservedFull textObstetrics, gynaecology & paediatricsmedRxiv
  5. Uterocervical Angle (UCA) Combined With the Bishop Score as a Predictor for Successful Induction of Labor in Term Pregnancy: A Prospective Observational Study
    Balaram Pradhan, Vina Kumari
    CureusPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMC

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{zheng2026fluctuations,
  title = {{Fluctuations of micronutrients during pregnancy in Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China: A prospective longitudinal cohort study}},
  author = {Lianshuai Zheng and Xiaolun Xu and Xueyuan Rong and Jian Luo and Guoqing Chen and Cheng Zhao},
  journal = {PLOS One},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0360813},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0360813},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Fluctuations of micronutrients during pregnancy in Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China: A prospective longitudinal cohort study
AU  - Lianshuai Zheng
AU  - Xiaolun Xu
AU  - Xueyuan Rong
AU  - Jian Luo
AU  - Guoqing Chen
AU  - Cheng Zhao
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/16
JO  - PLOS One
DO  - 10.1371/journal.pone.0360813
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0360813
AB  - Pregnancy is accompanied by substantial physiological adaptations that may alter maternal micronutrient concentrations. A prospective longitudinal pregnancy-neonatal cohort of 51 healthy pregnant women was established at 6–8 weeks of gestation in Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China, confirmed by fetal heart and bud on B-ultrasound. Pregnancy complications, outcomes, and neonatal health at day 42 were confirmed. Forty-three women who completed all assessments and had uncomplicated pregnancies with favorable maternal and neonatal outcomes were included in the final analysis. Whole-blood trace elements and serum vitamins were quantified during the first trimester (12.3 ± 0.9 weeks), second trimester (25.6 ± 1.2 weeks), and third trimester (32.7 ± 2.3 weeks) using ICP-MS and UHPLC-MS/MS. The results showed that copper, calcium, and vitamin D peaked in the second trimester, whereas iron, zinc, magnesium, and lead reached their nadir in the second trimester. Meanwhile, manganese and vitamins E and K increased progressively throughout gestation. In contrast, several B vitamins showed an overall downward trend, while vitamin B12 remained relatively stable. These findings demonstrate clear trimester-specific changes in maternal micronutrient levels during healthy pregnancy. Given the relatively small sample size, these longitudinal data provide preliminary evidence to inform the establishment of region-specific and trimester-specific reference intervals and deficiency thresholds for micronutrients in healthy pregnant women.
SN  - 1932-6203
ER  -