Abstract

Background: The study aims to assess serum iron, zinc, and selenium concentrations, cortisol levels, and blood pressure measurements in pregnant and non-pregnant women, and to examine variations in these parameters among pregnant women by maternal age, trimester of gestation, and adherence to routine antenatal medication.
Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted at Iyi-Enu Mission Hospital, 102 pregnant and 80 age-matched non-pregnant women (18–43 years) were studied. Fasting serum iron, zinc, and selenium levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, cortisol levels were measured by competitive ELISA, and blood pressure was measured using a sphygmomanometer. Pregnant participants were further stratified by age group (18–26, 22–35, 36–43 years), trimester (first, second, third), and adherence to routine antenatal medications (always vs. not always).
Results: Compared to controls, pregnant women exhibited lower levels of serum iron (49.7±15.2 vs. 69.6±10.9 μg/dL), zinc (60.1±10.6 vs. 76.3±8.1 μg/dL), and selenium (81.2±20.4 vs. 101.4±14.9 μg/L), higher cortisol (208.5±53.8 vs. 152.6±36.8 ng/mL) and elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p0.05). Medication adherence did not affect micronutrient or blood pressure levels; however, women who were always adherent had higher cortisol levels than those who were not adherent (p=0.047).
Conclusions: Pregnancy induces substantial changes in micronutrient levels, cortisol, and blood pressure in this population, whereas maternal age, gestational stage, and adherence to routine medication have minimal influence. These findings highlight the importance of targeted nutritional and clinical monitoring during antenatal care.

Key words: Selenium, Zinc, Iron, Pregnancy, Cortisol, Blood pressure