Following 12 weeks of zinc supplementation in pregnant women, a substantial association of maternal serum zinc with neonatal birth length and cord blood osteocalcin was noted.

A trial carried out with double-blind randomization and pre-test/post-test control groups aimed to explore the effect of zinc supplementation on pregnant females to prevent stunting. 

Participants were pregnant females in the 2nd  or 3rd trimester and with their newborns who fulfilled the trial's inclusion criteria. Overall, 71 pregnant females and their newborns finished this randomized placebo-controlled trial. Subjects were segregated into either the supplementation (20 mg/day) group (n=35) or the placebo group (n=36) for twelve weeks. Estimation of cord blood osteocalcin, maternal serum zinc levels, and birth length measurements was done.

A high prevalence of zinc deficiency was reported in pregnant females. The mean level of zinc in maternal serum was noted to be 54.6±8.7 µg/dL from 71 participants. The supplementation recipients exhibited an elevated median neonatal birth length, mean maternal serum zinc, and mean cord blood osteocalcin in comparison with the placebo recipients, as shown in Table 1:

Following zinc supplementation, the maternal serum zinc levels exhibited a positive association with cord blood osteocalcin (r=0.434 ) levels and neonatal birth length (r=0.597), respectively. 

Pregnant females need routine assessment of serum zinc level and administration of zinc prophylaxis dose (20 mg/day) during their period of pregnancy.