Intakes and Excretions of Iron, Copper, and Zinc in the Neonatal Period

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Abstract
Meconium passed during the first 24 hours after birth was collected from 6 babies and analysed for iron, copper, and zinc. The intake and urinary and fecal excretion of the 3 metals were measured on another 10 babies, all breast-fed, over a 3-day period at the end of the first week. Meconium contained an average of 1.7 mg/100 g iron and copper and 6.5 mg/100 g zinc. The concentration of all 3 metals was very variable in breast milk and there was no relation between the volume of milk secreted and its composition. All the babies were in negative iron balance; the f eces contained on the average more than 10 times as much iron as the food and the mean loss of iron from the baby''s body amounted to 3.6 mg a day. Some of the babies were in negative and some in positive copper balance, but all except one were in negative zinc balance. They were losing more than 1% of the body''s total iron and zinc each day. It is not known how long these large negative balances continue, but possible explanations for them are discussed.