Whole blood selenium content in pregnant women

The selenium content in the blood of pregnant women in the Valencian Commun ity, Spain was determined until the end of gestation in order to assess its evolution and detect possible differences in relation to the values corres ponding to non-pregnant women of fertile age. A total of 158 blood samples were obtained from 137 pregnant women. Samples were classified as: (a) firs t; (b) second; and (c) third trimester. Selenium was determined by a flow i njection hydride atomic absorption spectrometric method (Seronorm(TM) whole blood was used as a quality control check). The selenium values obtained f or the three trimesters followed a Gaussian distribution. The intervals for mean found were: (a) 75.7-85.5 mu g/l; (b) 72.6-81.4 mu g/l; and (c) 69.9- 77.5 mu g/l. Although a tendency to decrease was observed, no statistical s ignificant differences between the three trimesters of the gestational peri od were observed. When we compare the values obtained with the blood seleni um content of women of fertile age in the Valencian community (87.8-98.8 mu g/l) by using an ANOVA test, statistically significant differences are fou nd between the selenium values of women of fertile age and those correspond ing to pregnant women. The differences, however, are very small and can be partially explained by the level of hemodilution during pregnancy, however, reference values of blood selenium contents in pregnant women should be ta ken into account. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.