Zinc levels of serum, plasma, erythrocytes and hair in Turkish women with anencephalic babies.

The present study revealed a significantly low zinc concentration, measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, in serum, plasma and erythrocytes of mothers with anencephalic babies as compared to two control groups of women. We feel that Turkey should be added to the list of geographic regions where zinc deficiency has been found together with a high rate of CNS malformations.