Interrelationships between maternal and fetal mineral status

A new perspective

Abstract

Deficient mineral status of the developing fetus has been associated with potential risk for abortion and stillbirth. However, the relationship between maternal and fetal hepatic mineral concentrations is not simply a linear association and there are increasing concerns over mineral toxicity in the fetus or neonatal calf. The objective of this study is to utilize paired maternal and fetal liver mineral concentrations using a calculated ratio of fetal-to-maternal and maternal-to-fetal hepatic mineral concentrations to identify maternal-fetal relationships in hepatic mineral concentrations.