SERUM COPPER CONCENTRATION IN NEURAL TUBE DEFECTS PREGNANCIES IN GORGAN-NORTHERN IRAN: A CASE CONTROL STUDY

Objectives: to determine an association between copper deficiency and neural tube defects in northern iran, which is reported to have a high prevalence of neural tube defects. methodology: this hospital based case control study was conducted on 13 mothers with newborns having neural tube defects and 35 healthy controls mothers in northern iran during 2005-2006. serum copper was measured by spectrophotometery. results: serum copper level in mothers with ntd affected newborns and mothers with normal newborns was 15.9±6.1 micromol/litter and 15.2±6.2 micromol/litter, respectively. overall 15.4% of mothers in case group and 25.7 % of mothers in control group had copper deficiency. logistic regression analysis showed no association between the presence of ntd and copper deficiency (or =0.5, 95% cl: 0.05-3.2). conclusion: this study showed that there is no association between the presence of neural tube defects (ntd) and copper deficiency.