Patient's question:
I am 27 years old this year. My period didn't come last month. I took a test and it seems like I'm pregnant. I've been a bit deficient in zinc lately. My left ring finger has many white spots, and I can even peel off a thin layer of nail plate by scratching it. My right index finger also has many small spots (many people say it's due to zinc deficiency). I've read in many parenting books that if a pregnant woman is deficient in zinc, it can lead to abnormal development of the child's nervous system, etc. I'm very worried. Can this child be kept? If it can be kept, how should I supplement it?Doctor's answer:
According to your description, there is no problem with the fetus in this case. You can start supplementing with zinc now, such as with zinc gluconate oral solution, for example. The role of zinc for pregnant women is primarily to enhance the activity of enzymes related to the uterus, promote uterine muscle contraction, and later help expel the fetus from the uterus, which is conducive to a natural delivery. If a pregnant woman lacks zinc, it can only increase the risk of difficult labor. Your zinc deficiency will not have a significant impact on the fetus, so you should focus on supplementing with zinc now. In addition to taking zinc supplements, you can also obtain zinc from food, such as pork liver, pork kidneys, lean meat, fish, nori, oysters, and clams in seafood; soybeans, mung beans, and broad beans in legumes; and nuts like peanuts, walnuts, and chestnuts, which are all high in zinc.